Ogihci in Harry Potters mind?
by Red-Haired-Jack
Summary: It has been years since The War had ended, and Oghici, Ichigo's Inner Hollow, is bored as he wanders the wastes of Hueco Mundo following the direction of his instinct, which leads him to... the mind of Harry Potter? Strt at CoS end an goes from there. R
1. Ogihci is now Refero?

It had been a long time since the end of The War, Ichigo and his group having managed to win it for the 'good guys'. After The War, it was never given a name it was simply called 'The War', Urahara had used the hougyouko one last time, at Ichigo's request; he had separated the Shinigami from the Hollow. They kept their ability to use the other entities powers, but Ichigo and Ogihci would never again be stuck in the same body; that was the Hollow's single requirement to submit to Ichigo during The War, a requirement Ichigo had no problem with.

"**How long has it actually been since those days?**" Ogihci pondered in his backwards Hollow voice as he wandered through the wastes of Hueco Mundo, his realm. "**How long since the last of the Espada fell? Since I had a good fight?**" Solitude was no good for any soul, Ogihci was no exception. "**I'm one of the strongest entities in this reality... I have the Four Energies... Shikai and Bankai...**" Here he stroke the hilt of a normal looking kattana, a _zanpakutō_, tucked in his hakamas sash. "**What's left, damn it, I want more...!**" Ogihci growled, narrowing his golden eyes surrounded by black yoke oceans. "**My instinct says there's a way to more powers, more opponents, some where around here... and I **_**will**_** find it!**"

As he spoke, a Gargantua opened to the Hollows left. Ogihci eyed it curiously. "**What's with this shit? The space inside that thing is silver, not the blue that simplifies it heads to human world, red of Hell, or the white of SS...**" He shrugged. "**What ever, my instinct says to go, so I'll go, not like I have anything to say goodbye too here.**" With that, Ichigo's former Inner Hollow jumped through the silver Gargantua.

Ogihci lost his patience with the silver world he had jumped into quickly. "**I'll never listen to my damn instinct again! This place is one boring shit hole...**" He yelled into the blank silver area with no defining area to tell up from down with.

"So sorry that this area bores you so..." A voice spoke from behind the Hollow. "I was busy with another matter for a few seconds."

Ogihci spun around to face the man behind him. "**You... y****ou're Gingetsu...**"

"Please, call me Gin." The silver haired man replied. "I hear you are no longer satisfied with life in your dimension; would you like to go to another one?"

The blue tongue of the Hollow licked his lips as he pondered the man's offer. '_**Fine, I lied; I'll keep listening to my instinct...**_' "**What's the catch?**"

Gin smirked. "You go to a world of my choice, and you have to help someone of my choice. Your power will also be restricted; the boy would be ripped apart if he suddenly had all your power housed in him."

"**Tch, what do I get out of this?**"

"Something to do and more power as his dimension has a different type of powers in it."

There it was! Instinct of a caliber few in his dimension had ever understood roared, and Ogihci grinned at the sound. "**Hikiai.**"

Gin snapped his fingers, a silver streaked blue Gargantua opening beside the Hollow. "That will take you there, want any details?"

Ogihci shrugged, one foot already in the portal. "**Nah, I'll just wing it. What's the kids name?**"

"A 'Harry Potter'."

Fully inside the Gargantua, Ogihci turned to face Gin as it began to close. "**Will this happen again?**"

Gins answer almost made the Hollow drool. "Perhaps, if I feel like it." Ogihci licking his lips was the last Gin saw of him. "Now, to get back to those kids before they get killed..." Opening a swirling purple vortex, Gin leapt through it and was gone.

"Help me, help me," Harry muttered wildly. "someone-anyone-"

'_**I can help.**_'

Harry blinked as a weird backwards echo voice resonated in his mind. '_Who...?_' He was cut off as the snakes tail whipped across the floor again. Harry ducked, something soft hit his face.

The Basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Harry's arms. Harry rammed it on his head; it was his last chance, that odd voice not withstanding.

'_Help me... help me_...' Harry thought panickly. '_Help me!_'

'_**Damn, your a screamer, ain't ya? I already said I would help.**_' The odd, echoing voice returned.

'_You have an interesting friend there, Mr. Potter, I was going to give Godric's blade to you, but I feel that this is a more correct choice; you may keep it after this fight is done._' A voice, this time recognizable as the Hat's, spoke in Harry's mind the same way it had the year before. The hat began to constrict, as if a giant hand was squeezing it.

'_Duck!_' The echoing voice yelled, Harry followed the order subconsciously; he heard the Basilisks tail soar over him.

'_Thanks, whoever you are..._'

'_**Intros later! Grab the fucking sword!**_' Ignoring the voice's foul language, Harry looked for the sword it was talking about. He found it with its hilt sticking out of the Sorting Hat's brim. Hurriedly picking up the kattana by its hilt, Harry pulled it out of the Hat. Holding the kattana shakily Harry threw away the sheath.

'_How do I use this?_' The raven haired boy thought as ducked under the king of snake's continually lashing tail.

'_**I'll show you how to use that sword! Though, after this, you'll need to learn how to fight own your own!**_' The insane voice spoke; Harry felt his body seizure while his vision grew hazy.

Tom frowned as he felt Potters aura pulse strangely. '_That wasn't a magic pulse... It felt even more entwined with his life then that..._' Riddles thought process was cut off as an invisible force started to weigh down on him. "What the...?" The diaries spirit was, again, cut off, this time by a large chunk of the Basilisks body almost hitting him.

Standing from his duck, Riddle watched as Potter gave off emerald pulses of energy; a ghastly white mask covering the top left corner of his face. "**Hehehe, this kid ain't to bad, just inexperienced... Even more so then Ichigo was...**" The boy paid little heed to the Basilisk fang protruding from his right arm beyond pulling it out, and Riddle watched in sick fascination as the wound slowly sealed up.

"What are you?" The teenage image of Voldemort question, his handsome features showing his shock.

"**Hmm...? Why am I always asked that when I first come out?**" The Hollow laughed. "**I used to go by 'Ogihci', but I think I'll need a new name since I have a new host...**"

"**But that's no concern of yours, now die!**" Tom's eyes widened, the boy was gone and the voice came from behind him as it spoke the last sentence! He had no time to react as Ogihci sent his head flying. "**Tch, so weak...**" Ogihci trailed off, eying the sickly green pulsing diary then the quivering body of the boy he had just beheaded. "**Hmm...**" The Hollow spirit shuffled through his new host's recent memories. "**'K, then if he came from the book...**"

In a sudden burst of speed Ogihci impaled the diary with his _zanpakutō. _He smirked in satisfaction as the body dissolved into a large puddle of various colors of inks. "**He must have been tied to its existence...**" After sheathing the _zanpakutō _and tucking into his belt, the boy had been wearing 'muggle' clothes, '**What ever that is!**' and pocketing the stick he sensed a power from and placing it in his pocket, he reached up a an ripped his mask off.

Harry fell to his knees, panting heavily as he observed what the voice had done. '_Thank you..._

He could almost feel the voices shrug. '_**Like I said before, you'll need to learn how to fight on your own now; but I'll teach ya how.**_'

'_What can I call you?_'

Again, Harry felt the voice shrug. '_Call me what you please, my last host called me 'Ogihci', as I was his opposite and his name was 'Ichigo'._

_'Hmm... How about 'Refero'? It's Latin for 'echo', and your voice echoes..._

_I like it! From now on I'm Refero!_' The newly renamed spirit laughed. '_We can continue this later, Harry, but for now I think you should deal with that little girl over there!_

At the mention of Ginny, Harry suddenly heard sounds he had missed while he was speaking to Refero; Ginny was stirring! Gathering up the Sorting Hat and diary Harry ran to his friend's side as fast as his tiredness would allow.

Ginny opened her blurry blue eyes._ 'What's this warmth I feel?_' "H-h-harry?" She stuttered out, looking up in to the emerald eyes of the boy who was slowly carrying her away from the Chamber of Secrets in his arms, the final lock on the room sliding shut behind them as she looked back for a second before going back to Harry's eyes.

"Hey, Ginny." Harry breathed out tiredly, Refero slowly feeding him reitsu, not that he knew what 'reitsu' was yet, to keep him going.

The young red head began to tear up. "Harry-oh, Harry- I tried to tell you at breakfast but I j-just couldn't with Percy there... It was me but I swear I never meant to, R-r-riddle made me! The last thing I remember is his coming out of the diary..."

'_**Damn. Cry a river, build a bridge, and get OVER it, onna(woman)!**_' Refero yelled in annoyance at the girls babbling.

'_Be nice, Refero._' "It's fine, Ginny." He held up the book for her inspection. "He's finished, and so is his bloody snake!"

'_**Tsk, we need to work on your vocabulary! Saying 'Bloody' ain't no way to cuss!**_'

"I'm still going to be expelled! I've wanted to come to Hogwarts since Bill got his letter..." She trailed off, her eyes glazed. Harry was too preoccupied with not tripping to offer any comfort. After a few moments the sound of shifting boulders reached their ears.

"Ron!" Harry yelled, picking up his pace knowing he was close to the cave in. Fawkes gave a trill as he glided off Harry's shoulder which he had been birched on to fly a head.

He heard a strangled cheer from Ron, followed by a girlish shriek. '_Fawkes must've freaked him out._'

'_**What a wimp! It's just a Phoenix, I know a guy who didn't even blink as he was attacked by Phoenix more then a Hundred times more powerful and larger then that one.**_'

'_Really?_'

'_Yeah, my old host, Ichigo._'

Harry raised an eyebrow; he was going to need to here more about this 'Ichigo' later. As he turned the bend, Ron's face came into view as it stuck out through a sizable hole he had made in the rubble pile. "Here." Harry handed Ginny through the hole to Ron, before climbing through himself.

"Ginny, you're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? And what's with that bird?" Ron rushed, somehow managing to say it all in one breath.

"Yep. You should. A lot. He's Dumbledore's." Harry answered as he squeezed through the hole.

"What's with the sword? And is that the Sorting Hat on your head?" Ron asked, eying the katana shoved into Harry's belt and Hat on his head.

"Later." Harry said, giving the continuing to cry Ginny a sidelong glance.

"But-"

"Later." Harry ordered this time, Ron shutting up at the stern tone. "Where's Lockheart?"

"Back there." Said Ron, still looking puzzeled but jerking his head towards where they were headed. "He's in a bad way, come and see."

Fawkes birching himself back on Harry's shoulders, the soft golden light he emitted acting as their light as they walked through the darkness towards the pipe head. When they got there they found Gilderoy sitting on the lip of the slide/pipe, humming placidly to himself.

"His memories gone." Ron said. "The Memory Charm backfired, hit him instead of us. He doesn't have a clue who he is. I told him to wait here; he's a danger to himself."

Lockheart looked up good naturedly at them. "Hello, odd sort of place, this, isn't it?" Do you live here?"

'_**Kill the Fairy!**_' Refero ordered. '_**Normally I don't mind gays, but damn this guy freaks me out!**_'

Harry's chuckles got him a weird look from Ron, but he ignored it. Harry looked up the long dark pipe. "Any idea's on how to get back up there?" He asked Ron.

Ron shook his head, but Fawkes got grabbed Harry's attention as he lifted off from his shoulder, offering his tail feathers to Harry. "Looks like Fawkes'll give us a ride."

"But were much to heavy for a bird-"

"Fawkes." Harry cut off. "Is not a normal bird, he's a Phoenix. Grab the back of my shirt, Ron; I'll hold Ginny's hand, Gilderoy-"

"He means you." Ron added seeing the idiot's confused face.

"Hold onto Ron." With that, Harry grabbed a tail feather with his free hand, the one not holding the diary. A feeling of lightness passed through him; a second later they were rushing up the chute in a flutter of wings. Ignoring Lockheart's pleased cries, Harry just focused on the lovely feeling of flight until it ended.

As they were put down on the tile floor the sink slid back into place, concealing once more the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

"You're alive." Moaning Myrtle said, giving Harry a blank stare.

"No need to sound so disappointed, save that for my relatives." Harry replied as he cleaned his glasses, only half kidding.

'_**Hn...**_'

'_What?_'

'_**Nothing, we'll talk about it later.**_'

'_Fine._'

"Oh, well... I'd just been thinking... if you had died, you'd be able to share my toilet." The girl ghost said, blushing silver.

"Urgh!" Ron sounded as they left the bathroom for the deserted corridor outside.

'_**I agree with the red head!**_'

"Harry, I think Myrtle's drown _fond_ of you. You've got competition, Ginny!"

'_**Yet again, I agree with the red head, though the ghost ain't the source of it...**__'_

Harry blushed. '_Stay out of those things, Refero!_

'_**Hehe, fine, I'll stop teasin ya... for now.**_'

As he had conversed with Refero, Harry found himself in front of McGonagall's office. Looking at the other three, Harry knocked and pushed the door open.

For a moment silence reigned as Harry, Ginny who had managed to start walking on her own a minuet ago but was still clinging to Harry's good arm, Ron, and Lockheart in the doorway, covered in muck slimeand, in Harry's case, blood, lot's of blood.

Then the silence was shattered by a scream. "_Ginny!_" It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been crying in front of the fir. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.

Harry's focus, how ever, was looking past them. Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantle piece, beaming, next to McGonagall, who was taking deep steadying breaths while holding a hand over her heart. Fawkes left Harry's shoulder to rest on Dumbledore's, just in time to get away as Harry and Ron were pulled into a monster hug by Mrs. Weasley.

"You saved her! You saved her! _How_ did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that." McGonagall said weakly.

Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry, who was grateful as he could now breathe. Laying the hat and diary on the table, Harry sat down to start the tale.

"And the sword?" Dumbledore asked, eying the foreign sword at Harry's left hip.

"The Sorting Hat told me it was mine to keep."

"And so it is." The Hat agreed from its spot on the table. "It was, after all, given to me by a Potter a long time ago, I'm just returning it to the proper owner."

Dumbledore nodded, though his frown matched that of the other adults in the room. "Very well, please, continue with the story."

'_**Leave me out of it, just say you got in a lucky shot at the snake, they can't go down there and see what really became of it since your the only parselmouth here.**_'

_'K, I'll leave you out of it, then. I already know from earlier this year hearing voices no one else can is a bad sign, even in the Wizarding World._

And so, with some editing near the end, Harry spent the next quarter of an hour retelling them the story from his hearing the disembodied of the snake's voice to he had walked into the office.

"So, that diary there," Dumbledore pointed at the diary with a stab whole in its center. "Is what possessed our young Ginny?" Harry nodded, and the old man sighed. "Brilliant, simply brilliant. Of course, he is probably the greatest mind to finish his education at Hogwarts to date." He turned hi attention to the bewildered Weasleys.

"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after graduation... traveled far and wide... sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worse of our kind, underwent so many dangerous magical transformations, that, when he resurfaced as Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy that was once Head Boy here."

"_Ginny!_" Mr. Weasley said flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you _anything_? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself _if you can't see where it keeps it's brain_? Why didn't you show it to me our your mother? A suspicious object like that was_ clearly_ of Dark Magic-"

"Please calm down, Mr. Weasley." Harry asked, though his tone made it clear it was more of an order. "Ginny's been through enough tonight."

"Miss Weasley should be taken to the Hospital Wing right away." Dumbledore broke the tension in a firm voice. "Like Harry said, it's been a rough night for her; there will be no punishment, older and wiser wizards and witches then she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He walked over and opened the door. "Bed rest and perhaps a large steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up" He looked down at the girl held in her mothers arms, eyes twinkling. "You'll find that Madame Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out the Mandrake Juice-I dare say that the Basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

"Hermione's OK then?" Harry almost yelled in joy.

The old man smiled over at one of his favorite students. "Yes, Miss Granger is fine, Mr. Potter." He looked back to Ginny. "No lasting harm has been done, Ginny." Mrs. Weasley escorted Ginny out.

"I need to talk to you later, in private, Harry." Mr. Weasley whispered, getting the boy's confused nod before following his wife.

"You know, Minerva." The Headmaster told his transfiguration Teacher thoughtfully. "I think all this merits a feast. Would you be so kind as to go inform the kitchens?"

"Right," Aforementioned Teacher said crisply. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter and Weasley, shall I?"

"Certainly."

She left; Harry and Ron gazed up uncertainly at Dumbledore.

"I seem to remember telling you both I'd have to expel you if you broke any more school rules?"

Ron covered his mouth in horror.

"Which goes to show that some time the best of us eat our words. You will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and, let's see... yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."

'_**Hahaha! I love this guy! He's like across between Kisuke and Yamato!**_' Refero laughed.

Ron went as pink as Lockhearts valentine flower and shut his mouth.

"But one of us seems to be mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure. Why so modest, Gilderoy?"

Harry started, he'd completely forgotten about Lockheart! He turned around to see Lockheart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockheart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.

"Professor Dumbledore." Ron said quckly. "There was an accident in the Chamber, Professor Lockheart-"

"Am I a Professor?" Lockheart asked in surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless?"

"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired."

"Dear me," Dumbledore shook his head. "Struck down by you own sword, Gilderoy!"

"Sword?" The man asked dimly. "Haven't got one. That boy has, though." He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."

_'Fat chance! I happen to like this sword._'

"Would you mind escorting him to the Hospital Wing as well, Mr. Weasley? I'd like a few more words with Harry."

Helping Lockheart amble out, Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Harry as he closed the door.

Sitting down next to the fire, he invited Harry to move to the other chair by the flames, which Harry took. "First of all Harry, I want to thank you. You must've shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber, only that could have summoned Fawkes to you." He thanked as he petted the Phoenixes feathers."

"And so, you met Tom Riddle" Dumbledore continued thoughtfully. "I imagine he was _most_ interested in you..."

'_**That sounded so fucking wrong...**_' Harry shuddered slightly as he looked at the phrase the same way Refero had.

"Sir..." Harry paused before speaking his mind.

'_**Are you seriously going to ask that? You may have some similar traits, but that does not make you like him in any **__**important**__** way! Do you remember what that Hat was **__**going**__** to give you? Godric, as in **__**Godric Gryffindor's**__** sword! You think he would've given that to someone 'un-Gryffindor'?**_' Refero yelled in Harry's mind. _**You are **__**not**__** like that man, got it?**_'

Harry sighed. '_Fine._'

"Never mind, Sir."

Dumbledore frowned at the boy, but he was interrupted before he could speak by the door being thrown open. In the threshold stood Lucius Malfoy, all fire and brimstone, _Dobby_ was at his heels.

"Good evening, Lucious." Dumbledore greeted pleasantly.

Lucius totally ignored Harry's presence. "So! You've comeback! The Governors suspended you, but you saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

'_**What a wind bag. He's just a freakin snob with no back bone! I'd compare him to Byakuya, but that pretty boy was actually strong**_.' Again Refero threw out names without any meaning to Harry.

Harry zoned out, simply watching Dobby's odd actions. He kept pointing at the diary then Lucius, then hitting himself. Suddenly it hit Harry. "Don't you want to know how Ginny got that diary, Mr Malfoy?"

Lucius jumped, seeing Harry for the first time. "How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at the insult, something... instinctual was growling in his mind, and it _wasn't_ Refero. "Cause you gave it to her that day in Flourish and Blotts." Harry watched as Malfoy Sr. clenched and on clenched his hands.

"Prove it."

"I would if I could." Harry snapped back before Dumbledore could cut in. "But unfortunately, I can't at this point of time." It was that instinctual feeling in his gut telling him what to say. "Riddle has vanished from the book, so I can not even prove his initial presence. However, Mr. Malfoy, if this... event, or something to it's like, is to ever happen again; the Potter family_ will_ tie it to you, be it me as Family Head or my descendant, this will be carried out, I swear it on my magic." There was spark of lightning between the two, the oath had been heard and recorded by magic.

Malfoy looked at the boy sitting in front of the fire in apprehension. A shadow seemed to loom behind him... no, not one shadow, but four. The silhouettes of two men and two women stared at the elder Malfoy, eyes, green brown blue and gold, glowing vibrantly in the shadow's of the silhouettes faces, all four colors reflecting murder; _his_ murder.

'_What is this?_' Malfoy asked as he took a step back in fear.

'_This is Killer Intent!_'(1) An echoing voice answered. Malfoy looked around, but he could not find the source.

"Is something wrong, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked, he neither felt nor saw anything amiss yet the senior wizard had taken a step back from Harry with a look of fear on his face.

Malfoy looked back at Harry to find the shadows gone. "Yes..." He schooled his features. "Yes, I'll be going now." He turned around; making sure his fear was not noticed in his pace. '_I must've imagined the whole thing... Yes, that's right, I simply imagined it._' "Come, Dobby." Wretching door open Malfoy kicked the poor house elf through the door before slamming it behind him.

Harry thought for a second. '_I owe Dobby... Hmm... That's it!_' "Sir, you suppose I could give that back to Mr. Malfoy?" He asked as he stood quickly, pointing at the diary.

"Certainly, Harry, very kind of you, actually. Just don't forget the feast!" Dumbledore yelled the last part as Harry tore out of the room, diary in hand and removing a sock from his foot.

"Catch, Mr. Malfoy!" Turning on reflex, Lucius barely caught the sock covered diary a second before it hit his face.

"What..." Lucius ripped the sock off, throwing it to the side, and looking at the diary then Harry with a look of rage etched on his face. "You'll meet the same sticky end of your parents' one of these days, Harry Potter, they were meddlesome fools, too."

Harry smirked. "I'm more troublesome then you know, Lucius Malfoy, remember that I swore my line to finding you at a fault." He turned to go. "You can stay with me if you want, Dobby, I'd like the help."

Lucis looked at from Harry to Dobby to the sock the House Elf was holding like it was a jewel. Putting 1, 1 and 1 together he got; 'Kill Harry Potter'! Snarling, the man turned to Harry snarling like a beast.

"You lost me my servant, boy!" Harry went for the sword at his hip but Dobby beat him.

"You shall not harm Harry Potter!" The Elf yelled. There was a loud bang and suddenly Malfoy Senior was sent skidding back, he stopped in a heap on the next landing. "You will go now." Dobby commanded, waving a long threatening finger. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now."

Having no other choice, Malfoy Sr. gave Harry one last incensed stare before swinging his cloak around him and stalking off.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" The House Elf cried in joy.

"The least I could do, just don't try to save my life again." Harry grinned down bemusedly at the excited House Elf. "And I meant what I said. I'd appreciate the help. And I'll pay, how does a galleon a week sound?" He'd read a bit about House Elfs out of curiosity a while back, and knew Dobby would most likely go lower. '_But it's worth a shot._'

Dobby's eyes bulged at the notion of such pay. "Oh no, Harry Potter, I could never take so much, a galleon a month and a single day off a month is more then reasonable."

Harry sighed "You'll go no higher?" The Elf shook his head. "Fine, until summer break see if Professor Dumbledore has any work for you, my relatives wouldn't take kindly to finding you. If he doesn't, come back to me, k?" Dobby nodded and was gone with a crack. "Heh, I guess none humans _can_ apperate in Hogwarts, can't wait to see Hermione's reaction."

'_**Nah, you just can't wait to see her in general!**_' Refero's voice returned.

'_Be nice, Refero.' _Harry scolded, a light blush on his face.

Harry had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never a Hogwarts PJ party. Everyone was in their Pjs as they sat around, laughing and eating and generally celebrating the fall of the Chamber. The night, for Harry at least, had several fine point; Justin hurrying over from Hufflepuff to apologize foe ever doubting him, Hagrid turning up half past three in the morning, his and Ron's 400 house points securing the House Cup for Gryffindor for the second year in a row. McGonagall announcing that the End of the Year Finals were canceled, and Lockhearts failure to return to teach next year were all such things. On the down side he had forgotten to place his katana in his room, and as such was asked many times to show the 'Basilisk Slayer'(2) as it had been dubbed by the Hogwarts student body.

'_But,_' Harry thought as he threw a side long glance at Hermione's joyful,_alive _face. '_The best part was seeing her again._' Refero laughed, the echoing voice for which he was named for echoing even more then normal, but the Hollow did not break into Harry's good mood.

The rest of the year passed in a haze, the only thing that really registered was the cancellation of DADA, the deflation of Malfoy's ego at his fathers sacking as a Governor, the joys of a happy Ginny joining Harry Hermione and Ron in their normal gatherings. All to soon, they were all playing, except Hermione who had voted to read a book, a game of Exploding Snap. When they were almost to King's Cross Harry remembered something.

"Hey, Ginny?" Harry asked, subconsciously rubbing the side of his hip. '_I never realized how use I was to the zanpakutō's weight at my side._' The term for the sword had been given to him by Refero, who had been mostly unapparent since that first night. Apparently he was going through every memory Harry had, he had done this to his last host as well, and he simply appeared for the first time after doing it for Ichigo. The _zanpakutō _was in the bottom of his trunk, he didn't want to cause a stir in the station and wasn't sure he wouldn't hit someone if he just asked someone to disillusion it. "What did you see Percy doing that he didn't want you talking about?"

"Oh, that." Ginny giggled. "Well... Percy's got a girlfriend!"

Fred dropped a stack of books on Georges head, Hermione looked up surprised, Harry and Ron audibly gasped.

"_What?_"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater; that's who he was righting to all summer. He's been meeting her all over school in secret, I walked in on them one day _kissing_. You won't... _tease _him, will you?" She added hurriedly.

"Wouldn't_dream_ of it," Fred said, looking like Christmas had come early.

"Definitely not," George sniggered.

As they pulled up to the station and were about to cross the barrier, Harry turned around and scribbled a number down on a piece of parchment. "Here he gave the paper to Hermione. "That's the Dursley's number, sorry Ron, but I don't trust my instructions to your father on how to use a telephone." Ron nodded understandably.

"See ya, Harry." With that, the boy was gone through the portal.

"Bye, Harry." Ginny fare welled, running off after her brother.

"They'll be proud though, won't they Harry, your relatives?" Hermione asked, stalling as some of the last people on the platform exited.

Harry laughed. "Are you kidding? All those time I could've died and didn't manage it? They'll be furious!" He was only half kidding.

"Well..." She watched anxiously as the last person left, leaving the two alone on the platform. "_I'm _proud of you!" Blushing horribly she pecked him on the cheek and ran through the portal.

Harry stood stunned, a hand feather touching his left cheek. '_That was my first kiss, even if it was only my cheek..._' He could almost feel Refero smirk from the depths of his memories.

* * *

(A/N)Yo! Yeah I made another one... but this Plot Bunny wouldn't leave me alone. Then, when i typed the damn thing, it glared at me every time I log on... so I posted the damn thing, don't expect frequent updates for this one. Now, maybe I can keep writing my 4/5 finished new chappy for Naruto and the Seven Deadly...

(1)They are blue, right?

(2)Kinda like how Zaraki's had a psychological effect.

(3)No, that is NOT its name, so don't ask.

Laters

* * *


	2. Gifts, Anger, Bus and a new room

Last Time

* * *

Harry stood stunned, a and feather touching is left cheek. '_That was my first kiss, even if it was only my cheek..._' He almost feel Refero's smirk from the depths of his memories.

* * *

Now

Harry Potter was by no means normal, even by the standards of the Wizarding World. After all hating summer break and actually _wanting_ to do his homework would but him apart from his age group in either world, even Hermione who wanted to do the homework still enjoyed the breaks. The fact being the 'Boy-Who-Lived' made him famous, something he hated, didn't help.

'_Then there's you...'_

'_**Tch, leave me out of your weirdness.**_'

'_Are you trying to tell me it's normal to have another person in you mind._'

'_**Are you complainin?**_'

'_Not really_.' Sighing, Harry went back to work on the homework illuminated by a flashlight under his bed's covers. '_You almost done with my life's story in there? It's been a month and a half since you started..._' Harry asked, laying back as he capped his ink well after finishing his History essay.

'_**Tch, just 'bout...**_'

Harry yawned as he got up from the cover of his bed and replaced his school work under the loose floor board. '_Hey, I just realized I have no idea what you look like..._'

'_**As out of the blue as that was, would you like to see me?**_'

'_Yes, I would._'

'_**Well, I did say I'd teach you stuff... entering your mindscape seems to be a good start. OK, listen closely, Harry!**_' The boy turned off his flashlight and sat cross legged on his bed. '_**Have you ever meditated before?**_' Harry shook his head. '_**Any idea what it looks like?**_' Harry nodded, he had seen some glimpses of 'meditating' when he had sneaked a peak at the TV from behind Dudley and had seen some cartoon characters sitting cross legged with their hands resting in their lap; a pose he copied now.

_**'Sigh, why is that so common a pose for meditation anyway...? Oh well, never mind that shit, now close your eyes and clear your mind. Normally I'd just force you in here but this way you can do it on your own; Listen to my voice, let your mind be guided...**_'

Harry did as he was told, relaxing his body and allowing his mind to wander towards Refero's signature echoing voice.

"**Very good, you can open your eyes now.**"

Harry opened his eyes, curious about what his mindscape looked like, as well as Refero himself. He blinked in surprise as he took in the sight of an empty Hogwarts from his normal spot near the middle of the Gryffindor table.

"**A 'mindscape' assumes the form of a place you are comfortable, the only exception I know of being Ichigo's fucked up sideways sky scrapper world, I'll tell ya more 'bout that later, I'm not all that surprised with your 'scape having seen your pre-Hogwarts life...**" Refero spoke from behind Harry.

Harry turned his head to take his fist look at the visual form of the voice in his head. Refero stood leaning against the stone wall, his paper white arms tucked in the sleeves of his inversely colored Shihakusho. "**Yo.**" Refero held up a hand in greeting.

The raven haired boy simply nodded, emerald eyes entranced by molten gold surrounded by black.

"**You were just working on a bore of a history assignment, correct?**" Harry blinked, the after image of the spirit's powerful eyes fading out as Harry untwisted his neck to look towards the other side of the table, where Refero lounged directly across from him. "**Before ya ask, that was 'Shunpo', and yes I'll teach you... eventually.**"

"Wicked..." Harry mumbled.

"**Well, here's one History class I think you'll be a bit more interested in...**"

* * *

Harry sighed tiredly as he put his zanpakutō, he had nicked it from his trunk along with his school work, under a second loose floor board under his bed. It was his birthday, and two weeks since Refero had shown himself to Harry after witnessing the boys memories and begun teaching him.

'_**And you've done pretty well considering you've been at it for only two weeks.**_' Refero broke in. '_**You've learned how to correctly hold and have gotten use to your zanpakutō at a remarkable pace, and you've also have a good memory which helps memorizing the incantations.**_'

Harry blushed at the compliments, Refero was not easy to get them from. After a few days of simply explaining a lot of stuff, such as what he was and from where, Refero had started teaching him how to fight, just as he said he would. For the first week he had been shown katas, zanjutsu hakuda and hoho in his mindscape by Refero and, once Refero was sure he wouldn't make to much noise and thus bring the weapon to the Dursleys attention, now practiced the katas in the real world. When he wasn't being drilled on swordsmanship and open handed fighting, he was being taught how to channel reitsu from Refero into himself so he could use the Kido that Refero was going to teach him once he found Harry's ability to channel it sufficiently. The Hollow spirit had also mentioned he might be able to get Harry his own store of the death energy, but he had to 'look into it more' first.

Grinning proudly, Harry quietly opened his door and quickly crossed the hall to the bathroom. Splashing some water on his face from the sink, Harry looked at his reflection. Emerald eyes behind a wrecked pair of glasses, a lightning scar clearly visible on his brow, and slightly more mature features. He blinked as he noticed his easier time at looking at himself. '_Guess I've gotten a bit taller..._'

'_**Looks that way. Now do your business so you can get back to work! I want 100 total push-ups and sit-ups before you sleep tonight!**_'

Harry sighed, he had foolishly asked Refero how he was so ripped. The sinister grin he had received was the first hint he should have dropped it, but he hadn't, and now Refero had him on a rigorous workout schedule. '_**Trust me, by the time you go back to Hogwarts, you'll look almost as good...**_' Harry felt the smirk. '_**Just in time for the girls to drool over you, though you have one in particular that you want to have drool...**_' Harry blushed, the same heat rising in his cheeks as every other time the spirit brought that subject up.

Harry walked back into his room just in time to see an odd sight; three owls, two of them holding up the third, soaring into his room and landing with a light thump on his bed. The middle owl, easily recognizable as the Weasley family owl Errol, fell on it's belly, a large parcel tied to it's leg. Rushing over, Harry untied the package and carried Errol over to Hedwig's water bowl and rested the owl beside it.

Returning to the other two, he recognized the large female, and looking extremely pleased, snowy owl as his own Hedwig. Giving him an affectionate nip as he untied her parcel she glided over to join Errol.

Harry now faced the last owl, an unknown tawny, realizing it was from Hogwarts, if he was seeing the crest correctly on the letter tied next to another package. Once free of it's burden, the owl took off with an air of haughty importance.

'_**I never thought I'd meet a snobby owl...**_'

Nodding absently at Refero's comment, Harry sat down on his bed and ribbed open Errol's package. He found a golden wrapped present and his first birthday card. Shaking, Harry opened the envelope; two letters and a newspaper clipping fell out. Reading the clipping from the Daily Prophet, Harry smiled he knew no one who deserved the money more. Smile only grew as he saw the clipping, it was of the whole family standing in front of a pyramid.

The last comment about his wand in Ron's letter had memories of the Chamber rushing back, a slight smirk gracing his face. He wasn't at all surprised at the prudish Weasley's appointment as Head Boy. Opening the present and reading the letter, Harry placed the pocket sneakoscope on his bedside table. He then picked up the other letter.

Dear Harry

Happy birthday! I just wanted to re-thank you for saving me last year, as well as help your birthday card collection grow, so thank you.

-Ginny.

Harry smiled again as he placed Ginny's letter next to her brother's in the window seal.

Opening and reading the card Hedwig had brought with her package, Harry laughed lightly at how education minded his best female friend was, even during break. He placed this letter next to the other two. He was half sure the large gift was book full of difficult spells, which was proved wrong the wrapping was gone to reveal a broom stick service kit. "Wow, Hermione, just wow." He breathed.

'_**Looks like the girl knows ya better then ya thought.**_'

Refero laughed the entire time Harry was dealing with the Monster Book of Monsters, he had thought of trying to get his sword out by the time he had it tied up by a belt. Throwing it under the bed, Harry picked up Hagrid's letter, frowning at the forlorn feeling the 'useful' part gave him he placed with his other three cards.

Harry went to bed a few minuets later, deciding to worry about the Hogsmeade permission slip tomorrow, looking at his four birthday cards; the first ones he had ever gotten.

* * *

"They didn't die in a car crash!" Harry yelled, finding himself on his feet.

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" Marge yelled, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little-"

Marge, not to mention the other Dursleys, froze as a great malicious aura began to pulse off the boy she was currently insulting. Black, a beautiful shade of the color, slowly began to creep into the edge of his left eyes yoke. "Shut up." The voice had aged, it was not a little boy's but not quite a full adult yet. Harry went up the stairs, yanking his trunk from the cupboard with a nod of his head to undo the lock, went into his room and stuffed all his stuff in it. He pulled out a belt and tied it on so he could put his sword in the slack, belt loops tore too easily.

He gave the Dursleys one last glare, which effect was amplified by his one solid black yoke, as he walked out the door, slamming it behind him and the fat family, and one skinny member there of, gasped as they were released from Harry's spiritual pressure.

* * *

Harry was streets away before he collapsed, exhausted, on top of is trunk. The black in his left yoke had already receded.

'_**Now, aren't you grateful I put you through those workouts?**_' Refero laughed, not caring if his host was in a bad mood.

Harry, if he was honest with himself, had to admit he had had an easier time then he would have normally had before the workout schedule hauling his trunk around. Harry pit his head in his hands as he realized he might well be expelled for underage magic use.

'_**I doubt it would be that severe, the only magic you performed was summoning your trunk, the rest was spirit pressure. Though, you should get a move on before you have to explain to the cops why you're out in the middle of the night with a trunk of spell books, a broom stick, and a sword.**_'

Deciding Refero had a point, on both things, Harry began to dig through his trunk. Before he could find his invisibility cloak, he straightened, the hair on the back of neck standing on end. '_Some thing's watching me..._' Harry thought, eying the space the garage and fence behind him. Harry raised his wand above his head in his left hand while resting his right on his sword. "Lumos." Whispering the light spell, the area was bathed in light.

Once Harry's eyes adjusted he could make out a large canine outline with wide gleaming eyes. Harry took a step back and tripped, causing his hands to flail. A loud bang preceded a a flood of bright light that the boy shielded his eyes from with his arms. After his eyes had adjusted, he lowered his hands to stare at a violently purple triple decker bus.

If he had thought he was loopy, he was sure of it when a man stepped out of the bus wearing a similar shade of purple uniform. "Welcome to the Night Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand step on and we'll take you where ever you want to go. I'm Stan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor this evening."

Harry grinned, his luck was truly never ending. "Any where, you say?"

Stan nodded, "Yep." He sounded quite proud of it, too. "Any where."

Harry nodded, pocketing his wand and brushing down his hair to hide his scar. "What's the fair to get to London?"

"11 sickles." Harry nodded, handing the money to the man before e could go on, and went to pick up his trunk. Both he and Stan lifted the trunk, as well as Hedwig's cage, into the bus, which had rows of beds instead of seats. After they placed it under Harry's bed, Stan turned to the driver. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang, Ern this is...?"

"Oghici Refero." Harry combined the two names of the Hollow, much to Refero's amusement. He sat down, placing his sword in his trunk to keep prying eyes off it.

* * *

'_**What a pompous git.**_' Refero spat inside of Harry's mind, said pompous git leaving to check for a room with Tom for him.

Harry could only nod his agreement. '_Still can't believe this, it __**can't**__be normal for the bloody Minister of Magic __**himself**__to get involved with matters like underage magic._'

'_**You got a point there. Oh well, my motto is roll with the punches, and this punch was damn sissy! We'll worry 'bout what he's schemin' later, let's just be glad you got out without so much as a scratch.**_'

'_Hey, Refero?_' Harry questioned as he was guided to his room, number eleven.

'_**Yeah?**_'

'_What was that energy was channeling at the Dursleys, it didn't feel like reitsu..._'

'_**Hehe, that was one of my other energy types. In my dimension there were four main energy types, actually two were the same just used in such different ways they were considered two; I can use all four, though I'm not so good at one, I can teach it as I know all the teaching, it doesn't suit me very well. What you have been taught with is reiatsu, what you accessed was a tiny piece of my... darker energies; Hell's energy, which is far more potent then the other three.**_ _**In fact, this isn't the first time you used a different energy then reiatsu, that time with the older Malfoy you used my Hollow Energy.**_'

Harry nodded sleepily, falling into bed with a thump. 'O_K, talk to you in the morning, that is if I'm excused from tonights mental training?_'

'_**Heh, sure, you need sleep tonight; but I'm going to be harsh tomarrow!**_' Harry sighed, going to sleep with out even removing his glasses.

* * *

After a bit of a discussion with one of my most constant reviewers, I have decided to turn this into a harem story! The polls for the harem are now open, but note that Hermione Granger WILL be a member of the harem, as well as the first one to be with Harry.

For those of you who wondering about Harrys zanpokuto, I plan to reveal him in this year of the HP-verse, so be patient.

And yes, I'm skippin parts, but you want stuff I'm just copying practicly word for word, go read the corresponding book to the year I'm on.

Laters


	3. A 'Date' and a Dementor

Last Time

* * *

Harry nodded sleepily, falling into bed with a thump. 'O_K, talk to you in the morning, that is if I'm excused from tonights mental training?_'

'_**Heh, sure, you need sleep tonight; but I'm going to be harsh tomorrow!**_' Harry sighed, going to sleep with out even removing his glasses.

Now

* * *

It had been a week since Harry, and Refero, had arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. '_I'm just glad Hagrid sent me that damn book early, I'd feel bad for making the poor man have to stick his hand in that cage..._' Harry thought as he walked by Flourish and Blotts, the poor counter worker retrieving a Monster book of Monsters from their cage, he had gotten his stuff on the first day.

'_**Heh, even I feel sorry for the guy.**_' Refero snickered in the back of Harry's mind.

'_No you don't._'

'_**True...**_'

Harry laughed at his teacher's confession, ignoring the stares he received; he was used to them by now. '_Ha! I knew you didn't really feel sorry for the guy!_'

'_**Well, bleh! Hey, I think I sense your girlfriend's energy.**_

Harry blinked. '_Hermione's here?_'

'_**Stopped denying you like her, heh? Yeah, at the ice cream parlor.**_'

Blushing, Harry headed for Florean Fortiscue's Ice Cream Parlor. '_Fine! I like her! Now leave me the Hell alone!_'

Refero laughed. '_**I'll do the best I can seeing how I'm stuck in your head... but only till your **__**dates**_ _**over!**_' The echo faded away and Refero didn't speak again.

'_Thanks._' Harry mentally yelled after the Hollow Spirit, the voice full of sarcasm. Turning around the corner he saw Hermione sitting at a table out side the ice cream shop, he picked up his pace. "Hey! 'Mione!"

Hermione blinked, turning her head towards the voice because she recognized it. "Harry!" The brunette yelled in joy, jumping to her feet and running to meet the raven haired boy halfway. The two laughed as they collided/hugged. Smiling the two broke apart and headed to Hermione's seat, neither noticing the others light blush.

They talked for a minuets, mainly Hermione explaining the massively overstuffed bag at her seats side, before Fortescue came out to give Hermione her order, who blinked at Harry. "Why, hello there Mr. Potter, this young girl a friend of yours?"

Harry nodded, he had spent most of his free time here and had come to know Mr. Fortescue rather well. "Yes, she **is** my best friend after all." Hermione blushed a bit at being labeled Harry's best friend, though he, of course, didn't notice the blush. "Put her bill on my tap, would you?" Fortescue nodded, going back inside his shop.

"Harry! You didn't have to do that..." Hermione whispered with half hearted anger.

Harry just laughed. "I know, but I did any way. There's one condition though." She raised a eyebrow. "You share some of that delicious looking banana split with me." Hermione laughed, nodding he acceptance of Harry's demand.

"It is a bit more then I could eat on my own anyway."

They sat in silence for a bit, Harry couldn't help but admit he liked this; just sitting in a comfortable silence eating ice cream. '_Almost like a real date..._' Thinking it brought back Refero's earlier comment, which caused a small blush.

"Hey, Harry?"

"Hmm?" Harry cooled off his face before looking up to meet the girl's eyes.

"That was you who called 'Mione', right?"

Harry blushed again. "Yeah, if don't want me to call you that I can-" He was cut off by her giggling. '_She has a cute giggle... bad Harry! This is your BESTFRIEND here, no wrecking that over the fact you have a crush on her!_'

"It's fine, for you, to call me 'Mione, though I don't think I'd like it from anyone else." She smiled at him.

"'K, 'Mione." He returned the smile.

They finished up the ice cream, and got up to leave. "I'll take those." Harry said, picking up Hermione's bags before she could. "And don't argue it, I'm just being nice. So, where too?"

Huffing and muttering about guys and their chivalry, rummaged through her purse. "I've still got 10 galleons, I'd like to get myself an owl..."

"There's a magical creature shop just over there." Harry pointed around the bags in his arms, glad once more for Refero workout regime as the bags weren't light. Hermione nodded, fallowing Harry's lead. She went to open the door for her and Harry, but it burst open, Ron chasing what appeared to be Scabbers rushed through the door and down the lane. The two blinked, looked at each other, blinked again, shrugged and went inside. The counter lady was scolding a cat, apparently the cat had thought Scabbers looked tasty; which explained why the rat had ran.

Harry looked around uninterestedly, he already had Hedwig, so he was only here for Hermione. Speaking of Hermione, she seemed to have totally forgotten about getting an owl, for she was walking towards him with the flat faced cat held in her arms. "So much for getting an owl, heh, 'Mione?" He smirked bemusedly.

Hermione huffed, patting her new cat on the head. "Gorgeous, isn't he?"

Harry eyed the cat. "Hn." Was his only reply.

Refero's laughter shot through Harry's mind.'_**Ha ha, jealous of the cat are we?**_'

'_Go back to what ever hole you were in a minuet ago._' More laughter then silence. "I guess, never been much of a cat person myself. Ms Figg kinda turned me off to them..."

They walked to the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione got the door and two walked in.

"Harry!" Several voices yelled, one a bit more high pitched then the others and closer to him, he was tackled in another hug.

"Hey, Twins, Mr. Weasley, Ginny." Harry greeted back, looking down at the red head girl with her arms wrapped as far around him as they could get.

"Let us-"

"-Help you out-"

"There, mate." The twins said, each taking one of the bags Harry was carrying. Arms now free, Harry returned the hug.

"How ya doing, Ginny?"

"Good, Harry, you?" She answered shyly.

"Hey, Harry-"

"-mate, where-"

"-do you want these?" The twins asked. "And have you gotten stronger? 'Cuz these things are heavy."

"Their 'Mione's, ask her where her room is. I've been working out this summer, quidditch is only so good." Harry replied.

"'Mione'?" The twins echoed, smirks as identical as they were on their faces. "Exchanging pet name's with Hermione, are we?"

Harry and Hermione blushed. Hermione took her bags from the twins. "Hey, Ginny, want to come with me?" Ginny broke from her hug, a fierce blush on her face like she just realized what she was doing, nodded and followed her friend up the stairs. The twins were about to start teasing Harry again when a much better target came through the door.

"Hello, Harry." Percy greeted stiffly, holding out a hand and acting like this was the first time they met.

'_**Yeah, definitely a future politician, damn prick.**_' Harry mentally snorted at Refero's comment.

"Hello, Percy." Harry replied shaking the Head Boy's hand.

"How are you?"

"Better then ever-" Harry was cut off by the twins, who began to make fun of their brothers up tight speech, and walked over to Mr. Weasley. He blinked as he saw the front page of todays Prophet, which Arthur was reading. "They haven't caught him, heh?"

Arthur shook his head, folding and tucking away the newspaper with the insane looking Serious Black on the front page. "Sadly, no, they haven't."

Harry shrugged, sitting down. "I'm sure they'll catch him sooner or later, though he must be a crafty bastard if he managed to escape Azkaban with what I've heard about the place."

Arthur nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, well..." His eyes shifted to make sure Mrs Weasley was out of ear shot. "Harry..."

Aforementioned boy raised an eyebrow. "Those this have anything to do with what you said in McGonagall's office, about needing to talk to me...?"

The red head blinked. "What... ah, yes, I remember now." For some reason he seemed even more nervous. "I've looked into the matter a bit since then, it's not important for another year or two." He waved his hands dismissively. "We'll deal with it when you turn sixteen, k?"

Harry shrugged. "Sure." They sat in silence, Harry with a small grin on his face as he watched the Twins teasing Percy and getting reprimanded by Molly, Arthur with a flustered look on his face like he was arguing with himself. Ron sat down with them and started a talk of quidditch with the other two.

"How are we getting to King's Cross, Mr. Weasley?" Hermione asked, sitting on Harry's open side, Ron had sat between Harry and Arthur, Ginny sat across from Harry on the long table. "Hello, Ron, where've you been?"

Ron through his arms up. "Chasing after Scabbers! I went to get him checked out, he hasn't seemed well since the trip to Egypt, and this bloody crazy cat just attacks him for absolutely no reason! I've been chasing him all over Diagon Alley for the last half hour!"

Harry laughed, sharing a smirk with Hermione. "A cat, you say? Describe this cat to me."

"Flat faced, orange, and massive!"

Harry was quietly laughing to himself, Hermione was also giggling having realized what Harry had been planned. "Would it happen to be the one right behind you?" Harry asked, keeping a overly innocent look on his face.

Ron blinked as he turned around. "AAAAAHHHHH!!!" He yelled as Crookshanks jumped from his hiding place, straight at the chest pocket Scabbers was resting in. Ron jumped to his feet and managed to spin out of the cat's way, Crookshanks landing in Harry's lap and settling down contently, though the felines eyes were still trained on Ron's chest pocket.

'_**Hahahaha! That was great, Harry.**_' Refero laughed inside Harry's mind. '_**I haven't seen something that funny in years, but maybe that's my own fault for not having contact with others for years?**_'

'_Thanks, and it sounds like it was your own fault._'

'_**True...**_'

Around the pup the various people were laughing quietly, the Twins came up to him, clapping him on the back. "That, my dear boy-" "-was brilliant!" Their eyes met, they nodded, and looked back to Harry. "Your good in our book-""-not to say you weren't already-""-but now your in our-" "-prankster good book!"

Ron was red in the face. "What is that _thing_ doing here?!"

Hermione, who had also been laughing quietly, now stood angerly. "That 'thing' happens to be my new pet!"

"Pet?! You actually _bought_ that thing?" Harry sighed as the two settled into one of their famous rows.

"... and he's had twelve years in Azkaban to brood on that." there was silence.

Harry narrowed his eyes, in creasing the grip on his still un-named zanpakutō in his left hand. '_So, he's after me, is he?_'

'_**Makes sense he'd want revenge, though.**_'

Harry opened the door to the pup, causing the two Weasley's to jump in surprise. "Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley." He greeted, stepping into the room.

"Harry." Molly tried to act casual. "What brings you down here this late?" The matriarch smiled. "And I really wish you wouldn't carry such a thing with you." She eyed the sword. "There's no need for a weapon."

"I was going to practice some forms." He pointed at the sword with his free hand. "So that I can use this guy better. No need? I had need of this particular weapon not even two months ago, remember? Besides, wands are weapons too." He now pointed at his holstered wand at his left hip, Refero made him go get one from Olivander on the first day in the Alley.

"So... Black's after me, is he?" Harry asked, his voice not betraying any hint he was scared. "Well, he can't be worse then Voldemort, and I've survived him twice, thrice if you count the time I can't remember." He shrugged at their flabbergasted looks. "Look, I've had a mad man trying to kill me since I was a year old, the fact there's another one shouldn't be that surprising seeing how many followers the first one had." He turned to leave. "Your using the parlor, so I'll practice in my room."

"Wait, Harry!" Mr. Weasley called, Harry looked over his shoulder. "You have to promise me you won't chase after Black."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why the hell would I chase after a man trying to kill me? I'm _not _suicidal, thanks." With that he left, the two adult's looking on in shock.

"I need to talk to you guy's, alone." Harry muttered to his friends as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny." Ron ordered his sister.

"No, Ron, she can come too." Harry said, grabbing Ginny's shoulder before she could storm off. Ron sputtered embarrassedly, Ginny's face went from an angry red to an embarrassed red.

They found a compartment, they deemed it OK since the soul occupant was asleep. Sitting down, Ron looked over at the ragged robed wizard. "Wonder who he is."

"Professor R. J. Lupin." Hermione filled in for the other three, pointing at a battered suit case in the rack above the man's head with that name on it. "Must be the new DADA teacher." Harry nodded, sitting down and telling them about Black.

Refero blinked as he woke from his nap. "**What the Hell...?**" Looking around he saw ice beginning to creep in from the front door. Refero raised an eyebrow as he stood up on top of the teacher table he had been laying on.

With a burst of speed, pure speed, the Hollow leaped clear across the hall and landed a few inches from where the ice was beginning to spread out from under the large door. "**Well, this can't be normal...**" He muttered to himself. Touching the ice with a finger to the ice he brought the finger to his mouth and licked it, his eyes widened in surprise. "**Well, well, there's a creature in this dimension that feeds of fear, or more like bad memories, like a Hollow, though in a different way...**"

Focusing slightly he saw through his hosts eyes. He looked in time to see the gnarled hand retract. "**Hn...**" While he was scratching his chin in thought, the creature out side drew a slow rattling breath, and the ice that had been moving slowly suddenly burst across the entire Great Hall. "**Reminds me of a scene of one of Hitsugaya's fights...**" Refero muttered.

The crazy mentality shrugged. "**Sorry, Harry, but as sure as I am this shouldn't be here, I don't want to wreck your mind by over killing the ice.**" A woman's scream pierced the air before the light in the room began to fade. "**Tch, I guess the kid fainted... Where've I heard that scream before...?**" Refero shrugged as the lights went out.

Harry woke up to one of the most charming things he could think of. "Harry, oh Harry, wake up, please wake up..." Hermione pleaded, face only a few inches from his and the lights behind her head giving her halo of light.

"**I'm awake, pretty angel.**" Harry spoke, in the backwards voice he had only ever heard from Refero, he was just glad only Hermione heard him.

Hermione blinked, a little startled by his voice, before his words sunk in an she backed off, blushing Gryffindor red.

Pushing himself weakly into a sitting position Harry looked around, everyone was shaking, Lupin was walking around checking on them. "Help me over to Ginny, 'Mione, please." Hermione nodded, helping the exhausted boy stand and walk over to Ginny. "Come on, Ginny."

The young girl looked up, pain filled crystal blue meeting tired calming emerald green. "I-I was-s b-back in th-the Chamber, Riddle's v-voice was..."

"Shh." Harry whispered comfortingly. "That's over, the snake's gone, I killed it." A little lie."I did it with this sword." He pointed at the sword at his hip, he had pulled out of his trunk when they had came in since he liked having it's weight on him. "I killed that Riddle as well, Ginny, the Camber is closed and not opening again."

"Well said, Mr Potter." Lupin said, handing him a slap of chocolate.

Harry got into bed with a tired sigh. '_I'm just glad word of my fainting never got out_ (1)_, Malfoy would have a hay day if it did. It's bad enough that Lupin had to go an tell Mcgonagall who went and got Pomfrey who's gone and labeled me 'delicate'._'

'_**Get some sleep, Harry.**_'

'_What, now you think I'm delicate?_'

'_**No, stupid, just 'cuz your at school doesn't mean I'm going to stop teaching you, the sword practice in the real world has to stop, for now, but I'm going to start teaching you Kidou incantations, your control is good enough.**_'

Harry fell asleep that night with proud grin on his face.

(A/N)Yo! Well, I've gone and gotten into writing this one, so here's chappy three!

Besides the Harem poll, I also want to if you want bad!Dumbles bad!Ron and if you want them bad, how bad you want them(if they have a chance for redemption or not.) I'm also taking suggestions for Harry's zanpakutō, I had an idea for it but I lost the thought... :( so, give me your ideas, please!

(1)Neville didn't go to the apartment, so he couldn't spread the word of Harry fainting, and the others didn't tell.

Laters


	4. Shcedule Changes and a Dance to Come

Last Time

* * *

'_**No, stupid, just 'cuz your at school doesn't mean I'm going to stop teaching you, the sword practice in the real world has to stop, for now, but I'm going to start teaching you Kidou incantations, your control is good enough.**_' 

Harry fell asleep that night with proud grin on his face.

Now

* * *

"Here ya go, third year course schedules." George said, handing out said papers to Harry Hermione and Ron as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. 

Hermione took her schedule and began examining it with gusto. "Ooh, we get to start some new subjects today!" You could almost see the glow on her face.

Harry smirked. "Just a _wee_ bit overly happy, aren't we, 'Mione?"

Hermione huffed, blowing some hair out of her eyes, an action Harry couldn't help but find quite cute. "Oh, shush, Harry."

"Hey, 'Mione, they messed up your schedule." Ron said, looking at Hermione's time table over her shoulder.

Hermione scowled. "Don't call me that, and no they didn't."

Ron scowled right back. "Yes they did, 'Mione." He ignored her order to not call her by Harry's pet name for her. "Look , they've got you down for three classes this period." Indeed, the schedule read Arithmancy Divination and Muggle Studies all at nine o'clock.

"Ron, she told you quite clearly not to call her 'Mione."

'_**Hehe, a bit offended he's using **__**your**_ _**pet name for her?**_' Refero spoke, though only Harry heard him of course.

Ron's scowl only deepened. "What makes you so special, then?"

"No idea." Harry shrugged. "But for what ever reasons, she doesn't want you calling her that."

"Fine." Ron growled. Standing he grabbed his book bag and stormed off.

"What's his problem?" Harry asked, Hermione shook her head in equal cluelessness.

'_**You seriously can't figure it out on your own...?**_' The Hollow's voice was incredulous.

Shaking his head at the Hollow spirit, Harry stood and picked up his and Hermione's book bags, holding out a hand to help said girl up. "I won't pretend to have a clue on how you're going to work that schedule, but I trust you to manage." Harry smiled. "So, shall we head to Arithmancy?"

"When did you become such a gentleman...?" Hermione teased with a giggle, returning the smile and taking the offered hand. "What made you decide to take Arithmancy? I was sure you were going to take Divination with Ron because it would be 'easier'?"

Harry chuckled as they walked out the Hall, neither noticing they were still holding hands though the rest of the Great Hall did, the gossip mill already spinning the already common idea of them being a couple.

Flashback

* * *

"Hmm... what to take..." Harry pondered, looking down at the course selection sheet on his lap, a quill hovering over it, as he sat against a tree with Hermione Ginny and Ron sitting around him. 

Ginny shrugged. "Don't ask me, I don't want to think about having more classes yet."

Hermione was to engrossed in her book to notice the world around her at the moment, but Ron answered. "Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, of course!"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Their easy!"

Harry sighed, he wanted a future after Hogwarts. '_Hey, Refero, got any advice?_'

'_**Hn? Ya mean on what courses to take?**_' Harry felt the mental shrug. _**'Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures. I don't like worrying about the future, it comes fast enough on it's own, so I wouldn't take Divination. Arithmancy would help your Kidou and Wizard spell work and perhaps create your own tricks.**_'

Harry nodded, scribbling down his choices, taking notice of the slightly sad look on Hermione's face. '_She must think I'm picking Ron's choices 'cause their supposedly 'easy', well, she's in for a surprise next year then!_'

End Flashback

* * *

"Advice from another friend other then Ron." Harry answered. 

Hermione tilted her head to one side. "Who?"

"I call him Refero, I'll introduce you two later." Hermione tilted her head curiously but didn't push it.

'_**You seriously plan on revealing me to her? You really do like this chick.**_'

Harry merely gave a small nod.

* * *

"Hello." The young, mid twenties, woman sitting behind the professor's desk. "You must be Harry and Hermione, please take a seat, there plenty." Indeed, there were only were only nine people in the twenty provided desks, mostly Ravenclaws but there were a couple Hufflepuffs and a lone Slytherin. 

"Are you two together?" The lone Slytherin asked, eying the still connected hands. "'Cause if you are, I just one the betting pool on when you two got together." She smirked, pulling out a piece of paper. "759 galleons, very nice."

The two blushed, braking their hands apart. "A betting pool...?" Inside Harry's mind Refero was laughing his ass off rolling around on the ground holding his sides. "Let me guess... the Twins?"

The whole class nodded, even professor Vecter, there was no questioning which 'twins' someone was talking about when they used that tone and capitalized the 't'. "Who else?" The black haired Slytherin asked, tilting her head to the side.

"..." The two sat down, clenching and un-clenching their hands as they did so.

"Well!" Vector cried, clapping her hands together to get the classes attention. "This Arithmancy and this is a slightly illegal action, but we can't have you two knowing we're betting on your relation ship after all... Obliviate!" She shouted, standing with her wand pointed at the two Gryffindors.

The two Gryffindors blinked dazedly and sat down like nothing happened.

Refer had finally gotten of the ground, still snickering, an sat down in his chair, the head master's chair. "**Heh, I don't think I'll be sharing this info with Harry, it was way too funny to let him spoil it!"** Refero snickered evilly, keeping his thoughts from Harry of course. "**I guess I'm good luck, aren't I? Both my hosts have had betting pools on their relationships!" **He ignored the fact Harry's had most likely been going on since before he arrived. "**Tch, maybe I brought the 'curse' from my dimension?**"

The normally sarcastic and arrogant grin on his face became a happy smile, an odd sight indeed to any one use to his normal expressions. Flashes of the several amusing relationships that had developed in Ichigo's group of friends running through his mind. "**Who knew Hitsugaya would turn into such a stud when he got older... not to mention Ichigo when he grew a back bone? Or that of all the people Ichigo knew, Kenpachi would wind up as a one woman man? And don't get me started on Hat 'n' Clogs and those two intense bitches of his...**"

Refero sighed. "**All those lucky bastards getting several girls, but..."** He scratched his left shoulder under his Shihakusho, a flash of black stood out against the white skin but was covered by Refero's hand. The look on his face, a _regretful_ look, would have shocked those who knew him even more then his smile had. "**But I was not, in the end, allowed my own happiness..."** In a flash, Refero disappeared from Harry's mindscape.

* * *

Harry and Hermione walked in to their first Transfiguration class of the new year, totally unaware that there was a betting pool on their relationship and the lengths people would go to have it remain unknown to them. 

"Nice, Harry, but next time you ditch, tell me." Ron whispered as Harry sat next to him, Hermione on Harry's other side.

Harry blinked, looking at Ron curiously. "Uh?"

"Divination, you ditched and didn't even tell me."

Harry shook his head. "Ron, the reason I 'ditched' Divination is because I'm not taking it."

Ron blinked. "Oh..."

McGonagall silenced the class and started the lesson.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast... The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle..." Harry muttered to himself, looking down happily as sparks danced around his extended right index, his other fingers curled into a fist.

"What was that, Harry?" Hermione asked curiously looking at the finger Harry was gazing at with such an intense look.

"Heh?!" Harry's concentration broke and the gathering reitsu dispersed. "Damn it, I almost had it too..." Harry mumbled angerly, before looking up and calming at the sight of Hermione's chocolate brown eyes. "Just a trick I found out about, I'll show you when I can do it right, 'K?"

Hermione giggled. "Harry Potter, doing extra studying? Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"

Harry kept a straight face as he spoke. "Why, I'm the Dark Lord Hypocrite, and I have replaced your best friend in yet another attempt to kill him which will most likely fail anyway!" He even gave a little evil laugh, Refero was damn good at it, better then Voldemort could ever be, had learned from listening to him while he 'trained'. '_More like got tortured..._'

'_**I heard that!**_'

Harry winched, he was in for a beating during practice tonight.

Hermione stifled a giggle. "Well, Mr Dark Lord Hypocrite, how do you know you fail?"

Harry smirked, in a manner that confided absolute certainty. "Experience, of course!" The two couldn't hold any longer and burst out laughing, Ginny who had been on Hermione's other side also giggling. Ron was on the other side of the table, saying nothing; he was upset with Harry for not telling him about Arithmancy and with Hermione about something that had happened in Divination.

"Shut it, Malfoy." Harry glared at Draco, he wanted Hagrid's first lesson to workout for him. "Besides, they're good to practice dodging." It was true, Refero had had him unleash the Monster Book of Monsters a few times at the Leaky Cauldron to practice evading small and fast land attacks. The little bit of killer intent, just enough to make Draco look around for the source of the chill only he felt, was enough to keep him quiet until Hagrid came back, leading a pack of Hippogriffs.

Harry was the only one not to take a step back as the dozen of dangerous looking creatures approached, in fact the breath caught in his throat as he looked at the animals, seeing straight past his first surprise at their looks and seeing their beauty. "Gorgeous." Harry whispered.

"If ya'd like ta come a bit closer." He gestured towards the fence around the paddock. Harry almost ran to take a seat on the fence, not caring to see who followed.

He began to fire rapid questions to Hagrid about the animals, mostly pertaining to their flying abilities. Hagrid chuckled and answered as accurately as he could. Eventually the rest of the class, lead by Hermione by a good two minuets, followed suit and sat on the fence. "Right." Hagrid said, straightening up from talking to Harry. "The firs' thing yeh' gotta know 'bout Hippogriffs is they're proud." He spoke to the class. "Easily offended, they are, don't insult one; it may be the last thing yeh do." Of course, the Slytherin trio wasn't paying attention.

"Always let the Hippogriff make the first move. It's polite, see? Walk up to him, and bow, if he bows back you can touch him. If not, well, those talons hurt so best to back of quick like."

Harry jumped up before Hagrid could even ask for volunteers. He controlled his excitement and walked over to the chest nut colored Hippogriff.

'_**You just love flyers, don't ya? I won't be surprised if you zanpakutō avatar has wings or supplies the ability to fly.**_' Refero chuckled, Harry only nodding as he stopped a few feet away and made eye contact with the Hippogriff. "Yo." Harry greeted, tilting his head.

Hagrid and Hermione, along with those who remembered Hagrid's warning, took a sharp in take with how Harry was treating the situation.

"**Yo.**" Harry said again, in the backwards arrogant voice of the Hollow inside his mind, the class going bug eyed at hearing the insane voice come from Harry.

'_That's the same voice he..._' Hermione blushed, remembering exactly when Harry had used that voice. '_Well... it's the same voice he used on the train._' Even in her own head she couldn't repeat what Harry had called her that time. '_But it sounds different... like it's someone else's voice that's echoing, that time on the train was definitely Harry's voice echoing... wait, echoing, echo... Refero means echo..._' While she was putting this together in her mind, these subtle differences the others had missed in their shock at the voice, she nearly missed the Hippogriffs own bow.

"May I ride you, Buckbeack?" Harry asked, with another small tilting of his head. '_Why did you speak up?_'

'_**That Hippogriff sensed me; he new someone else was in here. Hagrid said to show respect, so I dead, you're not quite ready to fight something this fast own your own, especially with the sword up in your trunk, and I can't go revealing myself to all these people.**_' Refero explained.

'_Right. Though I'm going to get bugged about that, I'm sure._' Refero simply laughed at Harry's plight.

The majestic animal tilted his head, turning to allow Harry on his back. Grinning like a mad, though not quite Refero mad, man, Harry leaped on to the feathered back, leaning forward and gripping the animals neck hair to keep a hold on.

* * *

Harry sat down with a growl, his reitsu store, Refero had given him a 'small'(A/N Small for him, he's at Ichigo's level when Rukia first met him)amount to keep, was pouring from from him and giving the surrounding people, the entire Great Hall, a slight chill as the deathly energy flowed around the hall. 

"That bumbling idiot." Harry muttered as he waited for the food to arrive. "I'd say he did it on purpose but there's no way he'd actually let himself get hurt to only get Hagrid fired..."

"There, Harry." Hermione comforted. "We can go visit him after dinner." Harry nodded, smiling at his female friend.

Half an hour later, Dumbledore stood and clapped his hands together loudly to bring attention to himself. "Excuse me for interrupting your dinner, but it seems my old age caught up to me last night as I forgot an announcement." There was quite laughter at the joke on his age. "Now, the announcement I had forgotten was this; this year we will be having a Halloween Costume Dance! There is one rule, however, to keep surprises just that, you will not be allowed to tell anyone what you will be going as. The exits..." He gestured to the side exits and main door of the Hall. "Have been charmed so anyone going through them will not be able to tell what they will go as. It is open to all years." With that he sat down to let the students whisper excitedly. "Oh, and there will be no dressing up as fellow students." Dumbledore added absently.

Harry sighed in gratitude to the old man as he saw the number of people scowl as they looked away from him, stopping trying to figure out how to look like him. '_I do NOT want to run in to people dressed like me..._'

'_**Who are you going to take?**_'

Harry sighed, he had already figured out plenty of ways to not tell someone what they were dressed as and still go with them. '_You know damn well who I want to take._'

'_**Does that mean you'll actually get up the guts to ask her out?**_' Refero didn't need the answer Harry didn't give him, he just started laughing.

'_Now._' He looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye. '_How do I ask Hermione out, not get rejected, and what will I go as?_'

* * *

(A/N)Yo. Well, like I said, this story just seems to flow for me. I need ideas for Hermione out fit(maybe she could accidently dress up like some one from bleach?) And someone asked me if there was a limit to the girls in Harry's Harem, the answer is the absolute maximum is 6, and there no limit to how many time you vote, vote for a girl each chapter, it just shows you really support the choice. Suggestions for Ginny and Ron would also be appreiciated. The incatation Harry was muttering is the incatation for Byakurai, Light Lightning, I couldn't find the actual incant, so I'm using a shorter version of Raikoho, Thunder Roar Cannon, as they are both Lightning spells. 

Yes, I gave Refero a little heart ache, sue me, and no you don't get to know who yet. And yes, I made some of the Bleach guys pimps(Hat 'n' Clogs already was, he didn't need my help(and if you can't guess who those 'two intense bitches of his' are, well, read more Bleach!))

Laters


	5. The Boggart

Last Time

* * *

'_**Does that mean you'll actually get up the guts to ask her out?**_' Refero didn't need the answer Harry didn't give him, he just started laughing. 

'_Now._' He looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye. '_How do I ask Hermione out, not get rejected, and what will I go as?_'

Now

* * *

Harry sat with a growl in the front row of the DADA room, no one daring to intrude upon his bad mood. '_The git takes half a week to get out of the Hospital wing when he should have been fine the first night, then he goes around acting like a damn war hero!_' 

'_**Hey! I take offense to that! I'M a war hero!**_' Refero yelled in indignation.

Harry snickered. '_Fine..._' Hermione sat down next him, she was the only one that got close to him when he was in a bad mood.

"Harry, Malfoy is a snobby git, so calm down, please?" Harry nodded, breaking off from getting lost in her brown eyes with a light blush. '_**She's right ya know. Malfoy Jr. is almost as arrogant as his father, no need to let it get to ya. You and Hermione just need to focus on helping Hagrid win the case.**_'

'_Why didn't you include Ron?_'

'_**He's a stupid git and will probably forget all about saying he'll help Hagrid within the week.**_'

Harry sighed, Refero had been advocating this idea since the first night. "I'm fine, 'Mione, and thanks." Harry said, Hermione having sent him a worried look when she heard the sigh.

The room went quite. '_What is it I fear most?_' Harry was genuinely curious as to what his Boggart would be, pondering various things it could be and ways to counter them, he missed several people take turns until it landed at his feet.

"Here!" Lupin yelled, trying to bring the shape shifters attention to him.

_'No way in Hell am I going to let him let me out of this!_' Harry mentally yelled, jumping closer to the Boggart so that it turned it's full attention to him, the spider melted away; the Boggart had disappeared.

"No." Hermione's voice sounded, though her lips hadn't moved, and it seem to come from the room itself. Suddenly people gasped as the chill Dementors were feared for spread through the room as a Dementor became visible in the center of the room. Harry clutched his head, Hermione's no now accompanied the shriek he had heard the first time he had seen a Dementor ripping through his mind. Harry raised his wand weakly, pointing it at the horrid spirit and muttered. "_Ridkikulus._" There was a loud whip crack like noise and... nothing seemed to happen.

The Dementor slowly reached up and pulled down it's hood. Refero's face looked back at him, his normally pure snow white hair a vibrant pink. Harry stared for a second before he burst out laughing, comedic tears pouring from his eyes as he pointed at the mob of pink hair on his teacher visage.

'_**... I'm going to get you for that one...**_' Refero muttered in Harry's mind, causing Harry to grin. The Boggart dissolved as Harry laughed harder as he added make up to 'Refero's' pale face. '_**Yep, y**__**ou are SO dead, Potter...**_' The Hollow muttered again.

'_What's the worst you can do? Stop training me?_'

'_**Tch, nope; instead, your going to get a week full of sessions that'll make everything so far look like you were taking a walk!**_'

Harry flinched. '_I'm screwed, aren't I?_'

Harry could visualize the look on Refero's face easily. '_**Yep!**_'

"Well... that's class." Lupin stated, looking at Harry in surprise. "Mr. Potter, please stay." Harry nodded, plopping down in one of the chairs in the room as the it cleared.

"It's OK, 'Mione, I'll catch up, tell Vector that I'm talking to Professor Lupin." Hermione nodded and left, leafing only Harry and Lupin.

"Harry..." Lupin began, taking the seat opposing Harry. "Why did you stop me from stepping in?"

Harry shrugged. "Pride, I guess, thanks to you I've been labeled 'delicate' by Madame Pomfrey after all. I guess I just wanted to prove I could handle it."

Lupin nodded. "I guess that makes sense... sorry about that by the way."

Harry shrugged. "It's OK I guess... why _were_ you going to jump in, then?" Harry asked, curious.

"I had assumed that the Boggart would have assumed the shape of Voldemort, not something I wanted to materialize in the staff room."

"You don't fear his name?" Harry asked bemused. "You just got an extra five points in my book. Why not? It would have been good for a laugh, and it's not like any of the students could have even recognized him."

"You have point there..."

"Which part? The funny part or the serious part?"

Lupin grinned. "Both, actually."

Harry laughed as he stood to leave. "Well, I'm late for Arithmancy, so I'll be going." Lupin nodded, standing and walking out the door behind him.

"Oh, and Harry?" Lupin called, Harry stopped and looked over his shoulder at the man. "What was that voice we heard before the Dementor appeared."

Harry heaved a heavy sigh. "That... was 'Mione rejecting me after I ask her to the Halloween dance. I guess instead of repeating it normally, it found my fear of Dementors and used the Dementor's ability to repeat it." Harry answered truthfully, he had become better at figuring stuff out thanks to Refero's teaching method of giving him the basics and telling him to get the final result on his own; which made him a quicker thinker.

"You plan to ask Miss Granger to the dance?" The younger of the two nodded shyly, Lupin was the first one to be told that, bar Refero. "You should, you might just have better luck then you think." Lupin grinned, tapped his nose and left down the hall.

Harry stood there in shock for a minuet before Refero's voice spoke. '_**That man is NOT human, I don't know what he is; but it's not human.**_'

Harry blinked out off his daze and started heading for his Arithmancy class room. '_What makes you say that?_'

'_**The aura he gives off, it's different from the other humans of your dimension, it more... feral, it's closure to that of an animal, a predator too...**_'

* * *

Over the course of the next few weeks, DADA became the favorite class of most of the student body, Lupin favored practical lessons and knew his stuff and made classes as fun as possible. Only Malfoy and his lot, not Slytherin in general, found a a fault with Lupin; his clothes. 

"Honestly, his clothes? How immature can you get...?" Harry muttered to himself as he watched the Gryffindors clear the room on their way to Hogsmeade, it was the Hogsmeade trip the day before Halloween. He had asked McGonagall but she said she couldn't, even as his head of house, sign the permission slip.

"So... what are we going to do, Harry?" Aforementioned raven haired boy spun around, finding Ginny and Hermione standing behind him.

The confused boy blinked. "'Mione? Why are you still here...?"

Hermione giggled. "I decided to stay and keep you company along with Ginny, besides; I have my costume all together for the dance so I don't need to go get any thing for it."

Harry frowned. "Yes, that is the reason why the Hogsmeade trip was early this year, but that's not the only reason to go."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Stop complaining, Harry." In the course of spending time with Harry she had gotten over her shyness around the boy, he wasn't so sure he liked the change; the unbashful Ginny Weasley was a teasing little spit fire and her relation to the twins was even more obvious. "Two beautiful young withes want to spend time with you."

Harry grinned wryly, shooting a side long glance at Hermione. "I guess your right." They both blushed as he indirectly called them beautiful. "Come on, you can keep me company as I practice with the 'Basilisk Slayer'." He rolled his eyes as he heard whisper from the first and second years, as well as a few six and sevens that thought they had seen enough of Hogsmeade, as they talked about seeing the 'legendary' weapon again, or in this first years case the first time.

Harry went up the boy's stairs, coming down a minuet later with the zanpakutō in hand, he had switched from robes to muggle jeans and a white wife beater. He sweat dropped as he saw the hungry looks the females in the common room gave him when they saw how ripped he was. '_Fine, I guess you win..._'

Refero laughed. '_**I told you the only reason they weren't drooling like I said they would when you got back was because wizarding robes hid to much of you body!**_'

The bare foot boy looked around. "No one's going to talk about me bringing this out, right? Yes it's mine by right, but I'm sure I'm not supposed to use it here..." Everyone nodded, this wouldn't be getting out.

'_**OK then, do sets nine and eleven, let's give them a show!**_' Refero laughed, Harry nodded briefly and slipped the sheath in to his left side belt loop, slipping the razor sharp blade form the sheath and beginning a series of moves. The room watched in shock as Harry moved through the area they had cleared for him like a master, to them at least. Having no idea every move he made was getting a harsh review from an inter-dimensional traveler.

'_**To much force! To deep a lunge. That one was decent. Twenty more degrees down.**_' Refero's words flew from his mouth even faster then Harry was moving, he was watching holographic Harry in the boys mindscape doing the same moves as the real thing outside in the Gryffindor common.

An hour later Harry fell to his knees sweating heavily, the sword sinking into the stone when he used it to help push himself up. "I'm exhausted..." He panted, Refero had had him go through all the sets he knew, all thirteen of them.

The lot that had been sitting and watching could only nod in sympathy, he hadn't stopped for an hour after all. One by one, they left until only he Hermione and Ginny in the Gryffindor common.

"Here."Ginny took the sword and it's sheath from Harry and, after looking at the deadly edge of the weapon like a old friend, sheathed it. "I'll put this in away for you." Ginny leaned over and whispered into Harry's ear. "This is your chance, I realize now who you like after spending time with the you." Harry's eyes widened in surprise as the red head ran up stair and ran back down just as Harry was sitting down in the love chair by the fire next Hermione. "See you guy's later, I'm going to meet up with a friend!" And with that she was gone out the portrait hole.

The two friends sat in a comfortable silence for the next few minuets as they watched the fire crackle, and sending each other furtive looks when they thought the other wasn't looking, until Refero spoke up. '_**Ask her already! Like Ginny said, nows your chance! Do it or... I'll but you through another Hell Week!**_'

Harry flinched at the threat, he _never _wanted another Hell Week for as long as he lived. '_Fine._' He took a deep breath. "Hey, Hermione?"

"Yeah?" She turned her head away from the fire, meeting Harry's emerald eyes with her own chocolate ones.

"Uhh..." He gulped, pulling himself from getting lost in the color. "Do you... have a date for the dance tomorrow?"

Hermione blushed, averting her eyes. "... No, I've been hoping someone special would ask me..."

'_Did she just look at me when she said 'someone special'?_' "Well, I'm no one special, but... would you like to go with me?" The blush on his face could have replaced the fire, Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Misinterpreting the gasp, Harry quickly added. "As friends, of course."

Happy smile on Hermione's face faltered, but she quickly got over it. "Of course." Her voice said she clearly didn't like the 'as friends' part. "Where should I meet you" She asked, standing up.

"How about in front of the Hall at ten till six?" The dance started at six, he doubted others would be that early.

"'K, see you then." She bent over and kissed and Harry on the same cheek as before. "Take a hint." She whispered in his ear as she left.

"I screwed that up, didn't I?"

'_**Yep, you sure as Hell did.**_

* * *

(A/N)Yo. The dance is next chapter, so please give me your votes for Hermione's costume(I've only gotten one so far, and, as much as I like and approve it, I'd like to here some other ideas!) Readers of my other fics... I'm sorry for the unforgivable delay... I promise to update them soon.

Laters


	6. The dance

Last Time

* * *

"I screwed that up, didn't I?"

'**_Yep, you sure as Hell did._**'

Now

* * *

It was half an hour to the dance; he stood in front of the freestanding full body mirror in the boy dormitory.

He wore the black Ichigo Ban-Kai costume, wearing black jeans in place of the hakama pants, which he had to admit looked damn cool. He ran a hand through his orange hair. 'How the Hell did I change my hair color?'

He felt Refero's shrug. '**_No idea; maybe it's a birth gifted magic ability, like parseltongue?_**

Harry nodded. '_I'll look it up tomorrow... If I survive tonight that is.'_

'**_Sigh. Harry, I don't think she wants to be 'just' friends with ya, only reason I can think of her responding like that._**'

Harry nodded dazedly, starting to walk out of the room.

'**_Ha ha, I just thought up a finishing touch to your 'Ichigo' costume; give me control of your arm for a sec!_**'

_'Which one?_'

'**_Doesn't matter._**' With a calming sigh, Harry relaxed control of his right arm. A second later it twitched and came up to his for head. '**_It won't give you any powers, but I'm sure my mask will be a good mask for the dance!_**' With that, Refero brought the borrowed hand down, showing a bone white mask with deep blood red marking on the left side that fitted to his face so that required no strings to stay on (1).

After regaining control of his arm, Harry reached up and pulled off the mask to take a look at it. _'This... is going to have people running from me._' Harry thought, eying the grin that made the mask look like it wanted to eat his soul.

**_'Which it should!_**' Refero grinned as he caught the thought. '**_Now, go meet your date! Oh, and don't screw it up this time!_**' With that, Refero's presence faded deeper into his mind and was gone.

"Hn." Slipping the mask back into place, he headed for the Great Hall.

Hermione huffed at the lustful looks she was getting; though no one new it was her as she had had dyed her hair, as well as using a hair-straightening potion. Hearing some gasps she turned towards the staircase, wondering what costume someone had worn to get actual gasps of fear, she too gasped as the person came in to her sight.

A sleek black long-sleeved, ankle-length black coat with red lining with a tarnished end closed at his upper chest and black tight fitting jeans. On his feet he wore plain zōri and tabi. But what truly drew everyone's gaze to him was what was on his face; a mask.

Not just any mask, mind you, but a mask that seemed to practically be drenched in blood lust and insanity along with a animalistic hunger; somehow, Hermione had the feeling it hungered for souls. The mask was bone white and seemed to be framed especially for the man's skull. A row of upper and lower flat teeth were positioned above the place where the mouth would be, forming a grin that spoke of insanity. There was a series of blood red markings that ran about the white skull weaving around the slanted, thin left eyehole.

Despite all that she felt... save, with that mask in sight, like the wearer would, and _could_ do anything to protect her

'_Who in Hogwarts...?_' At this distance, she couldn't make out the eye color through the thin slits of eyeholes.

She shivered a bit as the man approached her, and couldn't help but feel like he towered over her even though he was physically her height.

"**Hey, Hermione.**" Harry greeted. '_Refero, you didn't say it would echo my voice!_'

'**_Didn't know if it would, just say it's a spell on the mask._**'

Hermione blinked. '_That voice... Harry?!_' "Harry?"

He nodded, pulling the mask to the side of his head to reveal his face. "Yep." '_Guess my voice only echoes if I'm wearing the mask fully..._' He paid no mind to the people around them starting to gossip about either apparently Harry and Hermione had come as a couple, or the formers mask. He chuckled lightly as he took in her costume. "An Angel?"

Hermione blushed; running a hand through her magically turned blue hair. "I was originally going to come as Mia, a character from a muggle game, but she wears very heavy robes and it's still hot out for the time of year. So I changed it a bit and came as an a blue haired angel." While the there were still several layers to her costume, they were thin.

Harry laughed. "You came as an Angel...? Did you really have to dress up to do that?"

"Eh?" Hermione squeaked, blushing as he caught the implication.

"You're an angel 24/7 as far as I know." He waved dismissively, as if stating common knowledge, causing Hermione's blush to deepen. "You came as an Angel, and I came as some form of Demon... how... symbolic... of what, not quite sure..."

Hermione grinned like a cat. '_I'm sure I know your 'Demon', if your looks now are any indication of your future ones; you'll be a real heart throb... wait, you already are..._'

Harry smirked. "Did you just call me devilishly good looking?"

A blush replaced the grin; she hadn't realized she had spoken out loud.

Before any more could be said, the doors to the Hall opened, allowing people in to the dance. Sticking a finger in the eyeholes of his mask, Harry pulled it over his face with a mock bow. "**Shall we, Lady Angel?**"

Hermione giggled. "Of course, Lord Demon." She answered, taking the hand Harry offered as he straightened from his bow. "You have calloused hands, Harry." The two walked into the Hall, everyone giving them, more Harry a wide birth.

The Hall had been changed for the dance. The four house tables removed, replaced by four person tables scattered along the sides of the room. The staff table had vanished, the Weird Sister were setting up in its stead.

Harry grinned behind his mask. "**You should shake hands with my sword instructor, 'Mione; calluses earned from years wielding swords, make my not even year old calluses look like melted butter.**" He had shook hands with the Hollow, and he knew his words were true.

"Is this the same as the 'Refero' that advised you on your courses?"

Harry nodded. "**The same. Shall we dance, or wait till there are others out there so we aren't the center of attention?**"

Hermione giggled. "Can you even dance?"

She got the impression her date was sticking his tongue at her behind his frightening mask. "**You'll just have to wait and see, now won't you?**"

Those who watched agreed it was an odd sight indeed to see a blue haired Angel dancing with a masked Demon.

"Hey, Harry?"

"**Hmm?**"

"What's with the orange hair, hell your whole costume?"

What was visible of Harry's eyes under his mask showed his shock. "**Hermione… did you just swear?**"

She huffed, pulling her arms away from Harry and fisting her hands on her hips. "Yes, it looks like it took your bad influence finally got to my vocabulary."

Harry couldn't stop his laugh; at least not after getting over how cute she looked when she was huffing. He leaned over and whispered into her ear. "**You look cute when you're huffing, you know that?**"

The blush on her face returned with a passion. "Oh, shush."

"**But if I shush, how will I answer your question?**" Harry retorted.

"Fine, wise guy." She stuck her tongue at him.

Seeing how they wouldn't go back to dancing for awhile, Harry led them to a side table, the crowd parted like the ocean before Moses for the demonic mask. "**The mask...**" He said, sitting down with Hermione, pulling off the mask and setting it on the table between them. "Is a gift from Refero, my sword instructor."

"Your voice is back to normal...?" Hermione interrupted.

Harry waved his hand. "The voice distortion is part of a spell on the mask."

Again Hermione cut in. "Then how did use the distorted voice when talking to Buckbeak and… "

Harry smirked. "When I called you a 'pretty angel' on the train?" Hermione blushed horribly, and dropped the topic.

_'Good, 'cause I don't quite know myself why that happened... '_

"The costume is a... friend's of Refero's battle wear, who has orange hair; thus the orange hair... though I have no idea how I got it."

Hermione raised a bemused eyebrow, knowing that Harry had dodged the question but knowing she'll get an answer later, though she still couldn't quite meet his eyes. "You don't know how you dyed your own hair?"

"Nope, all I know is that one second I'm looking in the mirror, thinking about having orange hair, and all the sudden my hair turned citrus."

Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… that sounds familiar, I just can't recall from where; we can look it up tomorrow." She reached over and picked up the mask. "Can you show me?"

Harry shrugged, closing his eyes and focusing on his natural raven hair. He opened his eyes when he heard Hermione gasp; looking up he saw his now black hair.

Around them, the people who had been watching Harry, to see who he was behind the mask, gasped as they recognized him. The two were oblivious as they just sat there in silence for a bit.

"Well, your looking good, Harry, Hermione." A voice said to their side. Blinking they turned to face the speaker, a red headed blue eyed girl wearing a more fiery shaded version of Hermione's costume.

"Ginny?" Harry guessed.

"Yep!" She said cheerfully, sitting down next to Hermione. "I'm a character from the same game as Hermione, she had red hair so it was easy." She picked up the mask from the table, looking at it intently. "I feel... like I owe this mask for something..."

'**_She must have a strong sixth sense, to recognize the masks presence so easily._**'

Harry mentally agreed.

After another moment of over looking the mask, Ginny sat the mask down and looked at Harry. "So, what spell are you using on your hair? Didn't know you knew any cosmetic spells, and I doubt you made a potion."

After Harry explained it to her, as well as showing her proof by turning his hair back to orange, Ginny gasped. "Harry! You a metamorphagus!"

Harry merely blinked in confusion at the term, but Hermione gasped. "Your right! I remember now. A metamorphagus is a person born with the ability to alter their appearance." Hermione added, seeing Harry's confused look. "I read about them in _Rare Magical Abilities_."

Harry nodded. "That would explain a few things." He said, remembering the time that he grew his hair back in a night after aunt Petunia gave him that horrendous hair cut. "So, yet another thing to ad the 'Why I'm Special List'?"

Hermione giggled. "Looks like it." They spent awhile sitting and talking, laughing at some of the more outrageous dance moves and screw-ups.

"Would you ladies like a drink?" Harry asked, standing and picking up his mask by an eyehole. Both girls nodded, so Harry slipped on the mask and headed towards the punch bowl at the other side of the hall.

* * *

Dumbledore frowned from his spot in the crowd, where he could get an amble view of Harry as he left Hermione and Ginny. '_He's become so radically different from before, he is far more confident. You can see it in the way he moves that he's become more sure of himself since last year. Not only has he gained confidence, but the teacher's tell me he has tripled his efforts in their classes, even Severus has begrudged that he is now a 'decent' potion maker._'

His attention now shifted from Harry's personality changes to the mask. _'Such a frightening thing... where could he of gotten hold of such a thing? I feel as if it belongs to a person drenched in blood death and destruction... who like that could have given something to Harry?_' Dumbledore had questions and no answers, a situation he hadn't found himself in for more then half a century.

* * *

"So..." Ginny asked as soon as Harry was out of earshot. "You and Harry..."

"Came as 'just friends'." Hermione snapped irritably. "Honestly, Ginny, I told you he didn't like _me_ like _that_. Besides, don't _you_ like him like that?"

Ginny sighed, looking wistfully at Harry, who she could pick out even though he was surrounded by a large group of people thanks to his vibrant citrus hair. "I won't deny that I haven't entirely gotten over my crush on him, but..." Here she let eyes travel from Harry to meet Hermione's. "I've seen how you two interact with each other, you compliment each other, Hermione; you have enough in common so you don't bicker all the time but enough differences to keep the other entertained."

By the time Ginny finished, Hermione was blushing the deepest she ever had. "That doesn't mean he likes me..."

"Who wouldn't like you?"

Hermione and Ginny jumped, turning to face a blond boy wearing high-end wizard robes and an eye mask.

"That's a lame costume, Malfoy, costumes are supposed to hide who you are." Hermione grinned, happy for the distraction from the embarrassing topic;

Draco tilted his head to the side confusedly. "Well, the pretty girls know my name, may I know theirs?"

"If you're trying to flirt, Malfoy, you suck." Ginny mocked, waving her hand in front of her face.

Malfoy sneered, grabbing Ginny's waving wrist. "Look here you little..." He was cut off as he hand grabbed the wrist holding Ginny in a strong grip and a finger tapping his temple.

"**I would refrain from assaulting my friend and or my date, Malfoy; unless you like to know how having a bolt of white lightning go through your skull feels...**" Harry spoke, his voice's distortion slightly greater then normal.

"Who the hell are you...?" The blond managed to keep a mostly even voice, though he felt like crapping himself.

"…" Harry said nothing, a white ball of energy gathering at the fingertip resting an inch off of Malfoy's temple. "**Well? Release your grip, and I'll release mine, Malfoy.**"

Grunting, Draco let go of Ginny's wrist. Nodding, Harry dropped his hand from Draco's, dispelled the Byakurai and sat down; passing around the goblets he had set down before interrupting. "**You're still here?**" Harry asked curiously, looking at Draco who hadn't budged from his spot.

"Who are you...?"

'**_I don't have a na… holly shit, I've become automatic in my response to that question…_**' Refero sobbed. '**_I have truly heard that question to many times in my life…_**'

Rolling his eyes at his tenant, Harry answered. "**Here's a hint; we've hated each other since we met on the train first year, I'm best friends with a muggle born and the Weasleys.**"

"P-potter?" Draco sputtered.

"**Your a genius, you know that?**" Harry asked sarcastically. "**And by the way, Mr. Pure blood racist ponce, when did you start liking muggle borns and 'undignified' witches?**"

Realizing that he meant the two girls were Hermione and Ginny, he spun on his heel and stocked off.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, sipping from her goblet of butter beer.

"I believe the term is a 'threat', 'Mione." Harry grinned, taking off and setting down his mask.

"You're a regular wise guy, you know that?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Proud of it, Ginny."

The girls giggled, they sat there talking for another half hour.

Ginny blinked, realizing how long they had been talking. "My god, we came to a dance and we've been talking this whole time!" She stood up. "I'll see you guys later, I'm sure I can find some one to dance with around here!" With that, Ginny rushed off, leaving Harry and Hermione sitting at the table.

"She has a point, 'Mione." Harry said, standing up and offering a hand to help Hermione up. "Shall we dance?"

Hermione smiled, taking the offered hand. "Let's." She picked up the mask, placing it on her date's face. "There."

They danced for what felt like a far longer time then they truly had, the five hours seeming to stretch into ten, but Dumbledore had announced the next slow dance as the last and after wards all dancers would have to head of to bed.

Hermione sighed happily, resting her head in the nook of Harry's neck as they swayed back and forth, they were among the last dozen or so couple's yet to leave. Both were thinking back to the songs they had heard that night, so many seeming to have been picked out just for them both for their current relationship and the one they both wished to have.

Gathering her courage, Hermione spoke as the last minutes before the dance ended twinkled away.

"Yes, 'Mione?" Harry asked, his voice normal as his mask had been removed and tucked inside his costume.

Opening her eyes, she picked her head off of her dates chest and looked him in the eye. "What I'm about to do... if you think I want to be 'just friends' after I do this... well, you're even more an idiot then Ron."

"Huh?" Harry asked, feeling a hand trail up his spine and get tangled in the mess of his black hair.

The response was anything but what he had expected; grabbing a fistful of his hair, Hermione pulled his lips crashing down to meet hers in a kiss.

* * *

"**Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.**" Refero laughed, though he made sure he was deep enough in Harry's mind he wasn't heard by the aforementioned boy; not that the Hollow personally thought the boy was aware of more then the kiss. "**I pictured her being more like Orihime had been; shy, and her first kiss would be as such. But damn, she took the kiss the same way Rukia and Tatsuki did! Fierce and demanding!**" The Hollow could still remember the emotions of shock that had traveled far enough through Ichigo psyche even _he_ had felt it.

"You truly do enjoy watching humans growth, do you not, 'Refero'?"

Refero grinned, turning to see Zangetsu floating on his pole of doom, he rolled his eyes. "**And you enjoy floating around on that damn pole almost as much as I like a good fight, Zangetsu.**"

The sword avatar simply nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm, Ichigo always said the thing a bit to much..." This received a 'har-har' from Refero. "How do you think that boy is, 'Refero'?"

Rolling his eyes again, Refero laid down... several feet up thin air, using the same technique Shinigami used to fight in mid air with. "**You can stop quotationing the new name already, Zangetsu; it's the name I shall be using while in this dimension. As for how I think _Ou(_**King)** is, I'm sure he's finished those years of required academy classes and become a ranking officer, if not Captain or Vice-Captain, by now. And I'm sure the _Joou_(Queens) have achieved their own individual ambitions... other then having the _Ou _as a lover, of course, as they have already achieved that one.**" He reflexively scratched his left shoulder, where the indistinguishable black mark stood out on his white skin.

Zangetsu, of course, noticed the action. "Refero..." He had dropped the quotes. "It wasn't your fault that Lady Hal-" He was cut off by the Hollow.

"**Don't say her name!**" The inverted form of Ichigo yelled. "**Only _I_ am allowed to say that name, Sword!**"

Zangetsu winched, Refero only called him 'Sword' when he was incredibly pissed off. "Of course." Zangetsu bowed, true apology in his voice. "I should have known it was still a fresh wound, Master." The avatar knew better then to think he could use his master's given name when he had angered him so.

The man sighed, waving off the apology. "**It's OK, Zangetsu...**" He turned around, beginning to walk towards on of the spaces between the side ways skyscrapers. "**I know...**" He said, pausing at the edge, but not looking back. "**That we need to share our stories; both in order to grow to understand each other and to better use our shared strength. But... that is one story I'm not ready to share yet...**" With that, he jumped over the side.

Zangetsu nodded. "Take all the time you need, Refero..."

* * *

While this was going on inside the depths of his mind, Harry had finally registered that Hermione, his Hermione, was kissing him. '_What do I do...?_'

'_You kiss her back, you idiot!_'

Finding this to be the best idea so far, he ignored that had not been Refero who had spoken and took the advice. The two kissed for a good minute, until they had to break for breath.

"Wow..." Was all either got out as they panted for breath. They didn't notice everyone was watching them until people began to clap, instigated by the twins of course, whistle and cat call. The two were blushing profusely, beating any shade Hermione had demonstrated that night by several darkenings.

Harry was so embarrassed he didn't pay attention to that new voice as he, it was a male voice, seemed to wonder off. '_Wonder if Zangetsu is up to a game of chess…?_'

* * *

(A/N) Yo! (Hides from readers of my other stories) Huh… lack of inspiration…? is anyone else sick of that excuse?

(1) The mask is the same one Ichigo had after he won dominance over Refero in the Vaizard training.

Laters


	7. Refero reavealed

Last Time

* * *

Harry was so embarrassed he didn't pay attention to that new voice as he, it was a male voice, seemed to wonder off. '_Wonder if Zangetsu is up to a game of chess...?_' 

Now

* * *

After a moment of looking like two deer caught in the head light, Harry and Hermione bolted out of the room as fast as they could, the sound of applause cat calls and whistling following them. 

"Who knew our relationship was such a big deal to other people?" Hermione asked darkly.

"The curses of fame..." Harry answered, just as darkly.

They slowed their pace to a fast trot, but neither spoke the rest of the way to the Gryffindor Tower. Turning a corner, the Fat Lady came into view and the two slowed to a normal pace walk.

He stopped silently, letting Hermione get a foot or two ahead of him. "Hermione..." Harry spoke, breaking the awkward silence, stopping Hermione from waking the portrait and quietly enough he didn't either.

Hermione stopped where she was, but she kept her face looking away from Harry. '_'Hermione'?_' She thought dejectedly, thinking the use of her real name was a sign of rejection. She turned to face him; he was looking down at the floor and refused to meet her eyes.

"I've been thinking on our way up..." Sighing, he looked up and met her eyes. "And I've decided..." He took a step closer to her; they were now only half a foot apart. "That I don't want to be 'even more an idiot then Ron'..."

Leaning forward, he placed a kiss on her lips. This was a quite different kiss from the one they had shared earlier; unsure that headed straight to possessive, this one was still possessive, don't get me wrong, but it was more gentle. Despite the difference, Hermione got what he wanted her to out of it; the feelings he wanted conveyed were.

After a minute, Harry pulled away and looked her in the eyes, both his emerald eyes and her chocolate eyes slightly glazed from the kiss. "Will you be my girlfriend, Hermione?"

The shocked expression on her face was quickly replaced by a broad smile as she jumped forward and wrapped he arms around Harry. "Of course!"

The somber and serious look he had been trying to keep fell instantly, replaced by a grin as he wrapped his arms around his new, and first, girlfriend.

* * *

"And so ends the biggest relationship betting pool in over three hundred years..." George moaned. "So, who won it, brother?" 

Fred, who stood next to his twin as they looked around the corner to spy on the new couple, straightened up and pulled a scroll from inside his costume. Unrolling it and scanning the parchment several times, Fred sighed. "It's a three way tie..."

"Let me guess, Dumbledore is one of the three…?"

Fred rolled his eyes. "Of course he is… the other two are us and Vecter."

George sighed. "Why did we let the teacher's in on this one again?"

"They had the money, and it was the only way to keep them from stopping the pool." Fred answered with a shrug.

* * *

Harry and Hermione separated from their hug. 

" Willow." Harry told the Fat Lady, smiling slightly. The Fat Lady looked fit to complain about being woken up, but decided against it when she saw the new couple.

"That's right, dearies..." She answered sleepily, swinging open admit them.

After climbing through the portrait hole, the portrait swinging close behind them, they decided they weren't tired enough to go to sleep, cuddled on the love seat from from the night before. They sat there for a while in a relaxed silence, they couldn't help their groan as the portrait hole open, revealing the Twins Ginny Katie and Angelina; all of whom were smirking at the two sitting next to the cracking fire.

"Well, well." The Twins sing-sang together. "Came as 'just friends', left as a bit more, eh?" The new couple could only blush. "Well, we'd normally be pranking you, we'll give you two a break; we'll start that later!" Laughing maniacally, those two headed for bed.

"Good job, getting Hogwarts most eligible bachelor to be as your boyfriend, your first boyfriend to boot!" Katie told Hermione, clapping cheerfully.

Harry blushed. "I doubt I'm the most eligible bachelor in the school, present or future."

Angelina wagged her finger at him. "Harry; you're a nice guy, a celebrity, and a member of and Ancient and Noble house! The only reason you're not on Witch Weekly's 'most eligible bachelor list', which by the way includes bachelors from all over the world not just England, is that to be an official bachelor you have to be of majority age! But you are in their 'bachelors of the next decade list'."

"Uh, wow, didn't know I was _that_ popular..." Was all the raven-haired boy could say.

Bidding their final congratulations, the girls headed up their own stairs and disappeared.

An hour later the fire was down to glowing embers and Harry felt they needed to head for bed. "We should get going…" He said, though he didn't

"Yeah…" Hermione agreed, though she didn't make move to get up, but actually snuggled closer to his warm body. Ten minutes later they actually got up and headed for the stair cases and, after sharing one more hug and kiss, headed up to their, sadly, separate dorm rooms.

Harry was half way up his staircase when he heard a scream. "What the…" He muttered, turning around and running back down the stairs and into the common room. "Empty…" He muttered, looking around the empty room cased in flickering shadows by the last embers in the fire.

He blinked as he felt a weight drop into his left hand, closing his hand around the hard surface on reflex. He looked down in bewilderment at his zanpakutō that had somehow magicked itself into his hands. '_How the Hell…?_'

'_Relax, boy, a zanpakutō is part of your soul; it will always come to your call, whether or not it you consciously call for it._'

'_Who are you?_' Harry asked calmly as belted his sword.

'_I am Zangetsu, Refero's zanpakutō avatar._'

'_Were you the voice from the dance…? No, he sounded different…_'

'_That would have been me._'

'_And you are?_'

'_I am **your**_ _zanpakutō avatar._'

'_You're talking to me?_' Harry was shocked at this; Refero had estimated another week or so before his sword spirit would start talking to him.

'_I wanted to prove Refero wrong; it'll be amusing later when he gets back. Besides, it's only polite to answer someone whose been trying to talk to me for a little more less then half a year. I have question though, how could you possibly not know what to do in that situation?_' The entire time the sword spoke, he had kept his voice bland.

Harry blushed. '_Either tell me your name or shut up!_'

'_That's not a very polite way to ask for someone's name, now is it? But I am curious can you hear it? It's ------._'

Harry shook his head; he couldn't hear the name that was spoken by this guy who seemed to always speak in deadpan. '_Guess I'm not ready yet..._' His thoughts were cut off by another scream. He looked towards the stone surrounding the portrait hole in surprise. '_How can I hear so clearly through the stone?_' He wondered, running over to the hole.

He pushed it open and came almost nose to nose with another man. They blinked at the other, black irises so ebony you couldn't tell where pupil met iris staring into dark emerald, before they yelped and backed of from one another. Now that they had some space between them, Harry took in the man's appearance; worn out clothes, black hair, the aforementioned black eyes that looked slightly mad, starved looking, and a wicked looking dagger in his right hand. When Harry saw the weapon, he immediately fell into a ready stance; right hand ready to draw his sword while his other hand snapped his wand from it's holster and aimed it at the man.

"Who are you?" They demanded at the same time.

Sirius blinked, not having expected the kid to have such a commanding presence, and answered despite himself. "Sirius Black."

Harry tensed. '_So **that's**_ _why he looks familiar; his wanted poster._' "Since you answered me, I'll answer you. I'm Harry Potter."

The black eyes widened. '_This is Harry?_' "Where're your glasses...?" He found himself asking, realizing that, though the Potters were notorious for eye problems, there was no glass in front of this Potter's radiant green eyes.

Harry blinked, bringing his right hand up to touch the ridge of his nose. '_That's actually a good question, I've always been blind as a bat with out them, but I haven't worn them for the last day..._'

'**_Tch, a gift from me to you; I fixed your eye sight for ya. Consider it a reward for having your avatar wake up, though he's an annoying bastard! _**'

"None of your business, Black." '_It's good to hear from you again, Refero, its strange going so long without your voice these days._' "Here to kill me?"

'**_Glad to know I'm missed!_**' The spirit laughed.

Sirius shook his head hurriedly. "No!"

Harry frowned; he didn't detect any deceit in the man voice. "Are you here to kill _somebody_?"

"Yes." Harry had to do a double take; the convicts grin had looked _way_ to much like the one belonging to the Hollow spirit in his mind, though Refero's was of course much more… perfected.

"Who?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Who the Hell is Peter Pettigrew?" '_Sounds familiar..._'

Sirius raised one as well. "Aren't you a bit calm considering who you're talking to?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Tom's fives time freakier then you and he is _nothing_ compared to Refero."

'**_I am insulted you'd even compare me that bastard._**' Refero sneered.

Black blinked. "Who's Refero? Doesn't that mean echo?"

Harry grinned, his answer was sure to confuse the other man. "A Hollow." He answered simply.

Black's face showed more then surprise at the term, it showed absolute shock mixed with a bit of fear. "An H-h-hollow?" He stuttered. "What's a Hollow doing in this dimension?!"

Now Harry's eyes were the ones to widen. "How do you-?"

He was cut off by a shrill voice. "Hello there, Paddy, how's you?" The two black haired men looked up see Peeves floating above them, grinning in a way only the Cheshire Cat from Alice's wonderland and Refero without the blood lust, if you could imagine such a thing.

"Shit." Sirius whispered. "Now, Peeves, please. I'm talking to my godson." Harry's eyes snapped from the floating poltergeist to Sirius in shock.

'He's my... _Godfather?_'

"Now now, Pady, you pranked me last times you were here, consider us evens now!" He sing-sung as he flipped to face down the corridor and taking a deep breath. "BLACK SIGHTING IN FRONT OF THE FAT LADY, GRYFFINDOR TOWER!!" He bellowed, loud enough to wake the entire castle, which was of course his objective anyway. Grinning at the other two, Peeves took a bow and left

"Damnable poltergeist... 'with friends like him who need enemies', indeed..." Black growled to himself, before dropping his eyes to look at Harry, who had long since fallen from his ready stance and was simply standing dazedly. "I'll see you again, Harry." After saying that, Sirius ran off.

Harry blinked as the sound of approaching foot steps snapped him from his daze and he hurried back into the common room, closing the portrait behind him. '_Godfather..._' He thought as he ran up the stairs.

'_Don't dwell on it, Harry, think only of your woman, let only her pervade your thoughts._' The nameless zanpakutō spoke in Harry's mind as the boy placed it inside his trunk. '_Save this Godfather thing for another time. Oh, and Refero says you can have a break from training tonight._'

Harry nodded, thankful for his swords advice and for Refero understanding that he need a break tonight.

* * *

Whispers followed Harry and Hermione as they walked to the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, word of Black's breaking last night had gotten around fast so everyone was in a panicked hush and they apparently found speculating about the new relationship a good way to relieve the stress. 

"You OK, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking at the boy she had fingers interlocked with worriedly.

Harry smiled, giving her hand a soft squeeze. "I'll tell you when we have some time alone later, 'Mione."

Hermione frowned, but nodded. "I'll hold you to that, Mr. Potter."

Walking into the Hall, they sat across from Ron. "Where were you guys last night?" The red head asked, sounding annoyed.

"Honestly, Ron, we were wearing _costumes_, we could've been right next to you and not have known it." Hermione answered, rolling her eyes.

Ron ignored her in favor of looking at Harry. "Did you see that really hot looking girl?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Care to be a bit more specific, I saw a few." Here he looked over at Hermione and Ginny with a wink. "I particularly liked the blue and red angels." Both girls blushed a light pink at his teasing.

Ron shook his head. "I wouldn't mess with those two, Harry, didn't see who they came with?"

The metamorphagus hook his head in amusement. "Nope."

"How could you miss him?! The man wearing that mask!"

"There were several people wearing masks, Ron." Hermione interjected.

Ron carried on as if Hermione had never spoken. "Did you hear what he did to Malfoy when he tried to make a move on those two?"

Again, Harry shook his head.

"He threatened to blow his head off! The guy must've been a advanced seventh year, he used some spell I've never seen or even heard of, and he did it wandlessly!"

Harry shrugged, still looking amused and mouthed towards Hermione. 'Well, Ron's talking to us again,'

'That's a good thing... right?' Hermione replied in kind.

Harry just laughed; glad he had his best friend back.

'**_I still say he's and idiot._**'

'_Agreed._'

Harry sighed; his sword and Refero seemed to share a dislike for Ron. '_Quite, you guys._' His mind was suddenly much more crowded then Harry'd like, at least Zangetsu left him alone for the most part.

"Harry, mate, you in there?"

He blinked, Ron snapping him out of his daze. "Heh, sorry, zoned out."

Ron looked at him incredulously before shrugging and repeating his question. "Who'd you dance with last night?"

Harry lips parted in a broad smile.

'_This is going to be... vexing._'

'**_That's an understatement._**'

"Ron, I'm happy to tell you that I'm now dating 'Mione!"

"Wha...?" Ron whispered, face slack in surprise.

"Harry and I are dating, Ron." Hermione responded, smiling a softer version of Harry's broad grin.

Ron's eyes went from slackened wideness to narrow as he began to glare at the two smiling people in front of him. The entire hall had seemed to sense something about to happen, and had turned just in time to see Ron launching at Harry across the Gryffindor table, fist raised.

Harry's body was frozen, everyone could tell he was in no condition to react, so his right hand snapping out and catching Ron by the wrist, stopping the fist an inch from his face, came as a surprise to them all. "**Tch.**" The grin on Harry's face, it hadn't even been dropped yet, changed, it became the grin that could only be used by one person in this dimension, and the echo in the voice served to remove any lingering doubt. "**I told you, Harry, that he'd be a pain in the ass!**" Laughing like the mad man he is, Refero used Ron's momentum to pull him across the table and slam the poor red head flat on his back on the rock floor.

The Hall could only watch frozen as Refero stood from his seat to tower above Ron's gasping form.** "Look here, ginger.**" The expression on Refero's borrowed face changed, becoming a sneer. "**I should do Renji a favor and cero your ass before you can bring any more shame to the title of 'red head' or 'best friend'!**" Sighing in disgust as he looked down at Ron, Refero delivered a 'light' kick to the gut that sent Ron rolling to the foot of the staff tables raised platform. Sneer still in place, Refero began to raise his arm, pointing his open right palm at Ron.

"Stop this!"

Refero paused, not even looking at Dumbledore, who was standing with magic aura pulsing and glaring down at Refero. "**Do you think to command me, you Yama-ji wannabe?**" He kept his gaze on on Ron, right arm pointing straight at the boy's face, but didn't do anything else.

The entire Hall gasped at 'Harry' calling Dumbledore a 'wannabe'.

"**And don't you _dare_ ask what/who I am; I've heard that question _way_ to much in my life!**" Refero cut Dumbledore off before the old man could even fully open his moth to form the first syllable. "**Just call me Refero; it's the name Harry gave me when I met him.**" He raised his head to lock eyes with Dumbledore, who gasped as he felt a pressure begin to press down on his spirit when he met Refero's sunlit yellow eyes.

There's was a tense silence in which no one moved the students and teachers could only watch as the two held their private staring contest; Refero broke it after a few minutes with a low growl. "**Stay out of my mind, Dumbledore, there's things in there that would simply _love _to have an excuse to wipe you away; myself for example.**"

Dumbledore retracted his mental probe, perplexed. "An Occlumens?"

Refero raised an eyebrow. "**What the Hell is an 'Occlumens'?**" He asked, finally dropping his arm.

'_A natural Occlumens? No **human** has been one of those in the last several decades..._' "You... are not human?"

"**It took you this long to figure that out?**" Refero asked incredulously. "**And I thought you were supposed to be some kind of genius or something, Jiji!**" The Hollow laughed, his echoing voice echoing across the Hall.

'_Jiji, Yama-ji... I believe that's Japanese..._' "You are also foreign?"

Refero smirked. "**You could say that.**" He was, after all, foreign to the entire dimension. "**Shall we finish this in your office; I think I'm scaring the gakis.**" He gestured around to all the students and teachers.

Snape, of course, had finally reached his limit with putting up with the possessed Harry. "Who are you calling a brat!?" He roared, standing up.

Refero let his gaze wonder over to the potions teacher with a raised eyebrow. "**You know some Japanese then, Snape? To answer your question; everyone in this room, I'm older then all of you, so it's in my right to call a brat a brat.**" The tone was biting and Snape sat back down fast under a sudden increase of spirit pressure.

"Yes, I think that is a wise idea, we shall adjourn to my office." Dumbledore agreed, seeing that the staff, as well as some of the students, was becoming restless, and he didn't want any one to get hurt or worse thinking they could take on this 'Refero'. '_He's beyond everyone in here, perhaps even myself._' He thought as he descended from the head table. "Follow me." He said as he passed the creature wearing Harry's face.

"**Hermione and Ginny are also coming.**"

Dumbledore paused. "Why?"

"**Harry was going to explain this to them tonight any way, might as well save him the trouble.**" He paused, like he was listening to something or someone no one else could. "**Hahaha, that's a good idea!**" Closing his eyes, Harry's body morphed. His body shot up, taking advantage of the baggy wizard robes so that the now six foot body didn't tear any of the clothes on it, his skin paled and his hair became snow white. Refero reached up with one hand, showing his nails were now black, to tug down a strand of hair. "**Hahaha, thanks to Harry's ability I can look like my human self when in control, yes!**" The Hollow laughed, licking his lips with his blue tongue. Raising a hand into the hair, he called. "**Come on out, Zangetsu!**" A sheathed katana appeared in his open hand.

Everyone watched in shock as this transformation took place, feared fascination etched on their faces.

He turned to Hermione and Ginny, giving a mock bow. "**Hello, girls. This is our first,**" He paused, looking more exactly Ginny before looking at them both again.** "Real meeting.**" His grin showed ebony colored teeth, but the sheen and unblemished condition of them implied his teeth were _supposed_ to be black. "**My name is Refero; I'm Harry's sword instructor.**"

Hermione blinked. "**Douzoyoroshiku** (pleased to meet you), Refero-san." Hermione answered, she took Japanese over the summer breaks, figuring it polite to greet him in his first language. "What happened to Harry?"

"**HAHAHAHA! 'San'? I think that's the first time in my life I've been addressed with that honorific! As for Harry he's fine, the shock of his second ever friend being such a prat was just a bit of a... shock to his system.**" Refer shrugged. "**He just needs time to himself at the moment.**"

Hermione frowned. "He doesn't have to deal with this alone. I'm his girlfriend, I'm supposed to be there for him, and even before that I was his friend."

"Yeah, he has us, he doesn't need to be alone to deal any more." Ginny agreed.

Refero smiled. "**Hai, he does indeed have you two and other friends to help him deal, but he's still not quite used to that fact, and Ron was supposed to be his 'friend' too, so that isn't helping.**" He offered the each a hand. "**So, coming?**"

They nodded, each taking a hand and being pulled up from their seat. The girls fell into step behind Refero as he walked up to Dumbledore. "**I believe '_Obliviate_' is apropriate, wouldn't you say, Headmaster?**" Refero whispered as he passed the old man.

Dumbledore, to the two girls surprise, nodded. "A splendid idea." He waited until the three were behind him before he discretely pulled out his wand, and called the Hall's attention to him. "_Obliviate_!" He bellowed, a burst of light came from his wand as his spell wiped out and rearanged their memories, even the Occlumens in the room escaped. Sighing, Dumbledore holstered his wand and walked out of the Hall.

Seeing the looks on Hermione and Ginny's faces, Dumbledore smiled wryly. "Don't worry, that's the first time I've wiped the entire schools memory before." He turned to face Refero. "Follow me, please."

The Hollow nodded. "**Lead the way.**"

* * *

(A/N)Yo. I had originally planned to have this chapter include the talk with Dumbles, but I wanted to post this this month, so there it was!

Laters


	8. Explanations

Last Time

* * *

Seeing the looks on Hermione and Ginny's faces, Dumbledore smiled wryly. "Don't worry, that's the first time I've wiped the entire schools memory before." He turned to face Refero. "Follow me, please." 

The Hollow nodded. "**Lead the way.**"

Now

* * *

"**Nice place you got here, Dumbledore.**" Refero said, breaking the silence that had lasted the entire walk to the old man's office, as he sat down in a plush chair in front of the desk. Hermione and Ginny sitting on either side of him, and decided to just look around in silence and listen. 

"Why thank you, Refero." Dumbledore replied civilly, taking his seat behind his desk. "You will, however, excuse me if I wish to skip the small talk."

Refero nodded, slouching deeper into his chair. "**Of course. Ask and I shall answer, unless I consider the answer too personal. And can you tell them,**" He waved his free hand, the one not holding onto Zangetsu, at the past Headmaster portraits. "**To stop the sleeping act?**"

The portraits, realizing they had been found out, opened their eyes and straightened up. "**That's better!**" Refero laughed.

Dumbledore smiled under his beard. "First question, what/who are you?"

"**Didn't I tell you I'm sick of those questions?**" Refero asked, sighing. "**Well, as I've already said, call me Refero. As for what I am... the simple answer is that I'm a Hollow.**"

"WHAT?!"

The group looked up at one of the Headmaster portraits. "What meaning does that have to you, Negalus?" Dumbledore asked. The portrait didn't reply, the man continued to look at Refero in shock. "Negalus." Dumbledore repeated, a little more forcefully, but the portrait still didn't respond. After staring at Refero for another moment, he simply walked out of his frame.

Refero raised an eyebrow. "**Well, that was odd.**"

"Quite." Dumbledore nodded deftly. "Next question, what is a Hollow?"

"**'A ghost; a ghost who lost themselves to anger and grieve. Our form, our human shape, becomes demented. A mask covers our faces, our final human piece, to hide our shame. A hole, for which we are named, opens in our chest; symbolic of our now hollow existence. Our transformation complete, we are now beasts who shall eternally crave for new levels of power; insatiable war mongers. Even if we one day remove the mask, and retrieve our human form; we shall forever have the instinct of the monster we truly are.'**" Refero recited his voice low and subdued the most anyone had ever seen from the normally grinning man. "**'Hollow', a poem by the Dos Espada, Halibel.**" His voice seemed to become impossibly sad at the mentioning of the female Espada.

The girls looked at him oddly, not knowing how to comfort the man. "I have never heard of that type of ghost before." Dumbledore continued, thinking it best to not push the subject.

"**You wouldn't have, Dumbledore; I come from a different dimension after all.**" A hint of Refero's normal mocking tone had returned to his voice.

While the girls were seriously starting to doubt Refero's sanity, the situation suddenly started to make sense to Dumbledore. "You... made a deal with the Witch?"

The Hollow spirit chuckled, his echoing voice resonating through the room, and the three felt it touch their souls as well. "**Not exactly; I made a deal with the head of her guard, though; her adoptive son, Gingetsu.**"

He looked at the old man curiously. "**I'm surprised, you seem to have knowledge of the Witch, I hadn't expected anyone here to know of her.**"

Dumbledore chuckled. "I have my debts to pay." He answered cryptically, though Refero's smirk seemed to indicate he got the message. "I was unaware that the Witch had a son."

More echoing filled the room as Refero laughed louder. "**Her adoptive son, Dumbledore. But yes, she does indeed have one she calls 'son'.**"

Dumbledore nodded, he was beginning to fully comprehend just what he was dealing with here. "How did you come to reside in Harry's mind?"

"**I was wandering Hueco Mundo, Hollow territory, looking for something to do when a portal opened. Hoping through it, I met with Gin. After a short conversation, I was sent to this dimension. When I got here, Harry was being attacked by that basilisk, and I had some serious restraints on my power.**"

"Harry's 'lucky shot'?"

"**Was me making basilisk shashimi.**"

Next was a question Dumbledore was dreading. "How restrained is your power?" Even if Refero's type of power was new to him, Dumbledore could still sense out a rough idea of how much he had at the moment; and it was a lot.

Refero's smirk made Albus shudder. "**Roughly five times what I have right now.**"

Even though only the old man was close to understanding just how strong Refero was, all three of the listeners looked at the dimension traveler in trepidation.

"Last question." Dumbledore began, his face tightening. "What are your plans for this dimension?"

Refero seemed to think about this answer as he stood slowly, drawing Zangetsu as he went. "**I came here for power, Dumbledore, and I'm here for power still. I will help Harry in any way I can until such a time that I am released from him, and even after.**" He held Zangetsu at eye level, its cutting edge facing the ceiling.

"Why? Why do you want more power? You have so much already, what do you want with such strength?"

"**Tch!**" Twitching his hand, Zangetsu's killing edge now pointed at Dumbledore, and a manic smile twisted his lips. "**Did you listen to the poem, Dumbledore?! Power! It's what drives me, earning power for powers sake! Instinct!**" He brought his left hand open, dragging the fingers across his face and down his neck. "**Our skin peeled off,**"

For a brief moment Dumbledore thought he had done just that as a vague shadow, a after image, covered the human shape; a quick glimpse of a long haired masked demon with a hole in its chest, but the image quickly faded.

"**Our meat scooped out, our bones crushed! Nerves nullified! All to sharpen that one omnipotent thing; Instinct! I told Ichigo and I'll tell you lot; you need instinct to be King! 'So much power' you say? There's no such thing to ones like me, I simply wish for more battles, and thus more power! And my instinct shall lead me there!**"

Refero's face switched from manic to a somber anger in a flash. "**ONCE! Once I thought I had had enough, but I was wrong! Even with all that power, I couldn't save Halibel! Never again will I have 'enough' power, I will always seek more!**" He sheathed his sword, and all was quite around him.

"**Heh... ah hahahahaha!**" Refero threw his head back as he laughed. "**I remember! I remember tearing that pathetic Starch apart for what he had done to her!**" Some where along the way, the red stripped hollow mask had begun to form; and the humans felt his power begin to flood the room.

The laughter was cut off as a blue flash of energy shone from the sheathed Zangetsu, whose avatar appeared a moment later as the light faded with a hand on his master's shoulder. "Calm yourself!" The avatar commanded in his even voice.

Refero looked over his shoulder at his companion, the yellow gold of his eyes shining behind the mask the now covered the upper right part of his face. ""

"You killed him, master, you avenged your woman, now reign in your emotions, Lady Halibel would scoff at you right now."

Refero nodded. "**She would indeed.**" Reaching up, he tore his mask off and crushed it under hand. The humans, all three certain they'd seen a side of Refero few had, sighed in relieve as the reiatsu was drawn back into the Hollow. "**Thank you, Zangetsu.**"

The avatar nodded, letting go of Refero's shoulder.

Refero turned back to face Dumbledore. "**I'll be leaving; I need a nap or a spar...**" Sitting back down, Refero closed his eyes, the sword in his hands vanishing and Harry's body returning to normal as his consciousness left control.

* * *

He appeared where he normally did in Harry's mindscape, the vice-headmaster's seat. "**Hmm... wonder he got to?**" With a minute shunpo, he stood in front of the doors, pushing them open; he stepped out into the entrance hall. His ears, sharpened by both his race and war, picked up the faint sounds of clanging steel. 

Following the noise, he pushed open another set of door, this time stepping out of Hogwarts itself and into its grounds. In the distance he could make out the forest and lake. '_**This boy truly has some serious mental capabilities...**_' He praised Harry as he felt a wind on his face. Seeing who he was looking for, he disappeared in another burst of shunpo.

Reappearing behind the tree line of the Forbidden Forest, he peered around a trunk to watch the spar going on between Harry and his sword avatar.

Harry, wearing a standard Shihakusho, was panting as he leaned against a tree, his sword still raised in one hand as he glared tiredly at the empathic face of his sword spirit, a large assortment of cut ranging from light to medium scattered across his body.

The nameless sword just kept his small golden green eyes trained on his opponent, not a scratch on him and his breathing normal. The messy haired blond raised his sword, a double sword with a dagger on the other side of the hilt from the blade its self, above his head. "Breaks over." He sated in a bland voice, leaping forward; he must have incredible bounce to do so, as his getahad a single five inch stand each.

Eyes wide, Harry managed to duck away from the attack just in time for the tip of the sword to sink several inches into the tree he had just been leaning on. "Slow." The sword said blandly.

The avatar sat with a small sigh. "I don't know how you managed to wake me up, if this is all you got… You can't even cut my bandanna at this level." He tapped the red silk that covered his forehead.

"... #4, White Lightning!" Harry shouted, having muttered the chant while the blond had spoken, jutting a finger swirling with crackling energy at the other.

Watching the stream of lightning approach him a smirk carved itself on his steely face, a large and very hot wall of fire roared into existence, and Harry's attack faded out as it rammed into it. "There you go, Harry, much better." He stated, though his voice was still as bland as it had been before. "It's... vexing for you to hide, Refero-san." The sword said, eyes never leaving a caterpillar that he had found.

Laughing, Refero stepped out from the tree line. "So sorry." He mocked, turning to Harry. "So, still emo?"

Harry panted. "Like I had a choice to stop..."

Laughing a little louder, the Hollow waved. "Bye bye then, Harry." He waved as Harry faded out, and turned to face the sword. "Spar?"

"Sure." The blond dead panned, pulling himself from the tree and lunging at Refero. "_Maouen_(Demon Star Blaze)!" He called, the black fire he summoned becoming a ball that hurled at his spar partner.

Grinning, Refero shunpo'd away from the damage zone, appearing foot over the lake's center. "Come, Zangetsu!" He called, the sword forming in his extended right hand just in time to guard from the other sword. "I haven't felt this in a long time..." He said, grinning like only Kenpachi, or Grimmjow at his best, could ever could besides himself. '_**Well, there was that Mayuri guy, but he's a totally **__**different**__** kind of nut job!**_'

* * *

Harry came back into control his body with a groan. "God damn sadist..." He muttered grumpily, righting himself into a full sitting position. "... the both of them." He amended, realizing that the first way he had said it implied only one of them was a sadist. 

Seeing that Harry was awake, Zangetsu faded away without notice.

"Harry!" Both girls cried, jumping from their spots to hug the boy, Ginny wrapping tightly around his waist while Hermione wrapped around his neck.

"C-c-can't breath!" He gasped out.

Blushing, the two girls loosened their grip, but didn't let go.

Harry grinned, wrapping a arm around each of the girls. "Sorry if I worried you two."

"Shall I look into seeing if the Twins would like to start up a betting pool on when Harry starts a harem, hmm?" Dumbledore asked, chuckling.

All three blushing deeply now, Ginny let of Harry embarrassedly as did Hermione, who shot Dumbledore a heated glare. "Harems are illegal, Headmaster."

Dumbledore just shook his head, his chuckles deepening. "In the muggle world, perhaps; but not in the world you three are living in. "The three blushed even deeper, and Harry swore he heard Refero's laughter in his mind. Deciding to take pity on the kids, he switched topics. "You have some... interesting people residing in your mind, Mr Potter."

"That I do." Harry agreed with a sigh, looking up at the headmaster. "But, they are my friends."

"Did you know what he was?"

The boy shook his head. "When I first met him? I had no idea, and I didn't learn until mid summer. All I knew was that he had saved mine and Ginny's life."

"You're very trusting, Mr Potter. A admiral trait, but trust should be earned."

"He's done much to earn it, Headmaster."

"Did he tell you Halibel's poem?"

"He did, and it matters little what Hollows are as a race, it matters what he is as Refero. And Headmaster?"

"Yes?"

Harry looked him dead in the eye with the most serious look Dumbledore had ever seen on the boy's face. "_Only_ Refero gets to say that name." Harry's tone was as serious as his face.

"Ah, it shall be noted." Dumbledore nodded, thankful for the warning "That's all for today, you can all go rest." They nodded, standing to leave. "Oh, Mr Potter, Miss Granger?"

"Yes?" They asked turning to look at the old man from th door.

"Congratulations." He said, smiling under his beard. "Your parents, Mr Potter, would be proud."

The two smiled, and Dumbledore couldn't recall seeing a happier look on Harry's face, turned and followed Ginny out.

"What do you think, Fawkes?" The old man asked his familiar when the sound of the door at the bottom of the stairs closing could be heard. The Phoenix released a low trill, and and it's master/friend nodded, seeming to understand. "Yes, my original plans are array with this development... but, it seem's to have given Harry happiness, which is something I've been trying to do myself for a very long time." Another trill, and another nod. "Yes, Refero is an incredibly dark and powerful creature, but I would not call him evil... just self serving, which is not an inheritedly evil trait."

Nodding to himself, he reclined in his seat. "Yes, I think I'll let it play out." Fawkes trilled another not, and it gave the impression of laughter. "Yes, the fact that Refero could, and most likely would, tear me apart for interfering did have some impact on my decision to, as you put it, 'not put my nose in another matter un-realted to me'."

* * *

(A/N)Yo! Well here you go, the next chapy! 


	9. Won the game, still lost the broom

Last Time

* * *

Nodding to himself, he reclined in his seat. "Yes, I think I'll let it play out." Fawkes trilled another note, and it gave the impression of laughter. "Yes, the fact that Refero could, and most likely would, tear me apart for interfering did have some impact on my decision to, as you put it, 'not put my nose in another matter un-related to me'." 

Now

* * *

The next while passed unremarkably, the only thing that should be marked was the sudden absence of Ron from Harry's day to day life. The memory change Dumbledore had caused had let the attack remain, only as the old man believed it would have played out had Refero had not stepped in; they had gotten into a light scuffle quickly broken up by the teachers. 

Ron had not spoken to either Harry or Hermione, to apologize or other wise. He had taken to hanging out with Dean and Thomas, and simply ignored his two ex-best friends.

Harry himself was surprised at how easily Ron slipped out of his life; his place quickly filled with Ginny. He had always imagined, in times he had been feeling doubtful of his friends, that it would much more theatrical when Ron parted paths. But it hadn't been like that, they had quietly parted into separate lives, as some people do.

The raven haired boy had no time to truly notice the lack of his first friend his age. He was happy, he had finally moved on his feelings and had been rewarded with Hermione returning them, Refero had doubled Harry's training level and the nameless zanpakutō spirit trained him separately from the Hollow's own methods, and quidditch practice had kicked in with Wood being all the more fierce in his determination to finally win the cup in his last year at Hogwarts.

All in all, Harry felt very deserving of his tired huff as he collapsed in a large plush chair beside the fire place and work table in the Gryffindor common.

"Tired?" Hermione asked teasingly, looking at her boyfriend over her shoulder from her spot on the work bench going over her copious amounts of homework. She had her DADA book open to were-wolfs, apparently doing Snape's assignment from when he had filled in for Lupin.

"Meh." Harry grunted as he cracked an eye open to look at his girlfriend. "Refero and my zanpakutō are giving me bitch lessons, Wood's making practice a third hell; 'course I'm tired..." He was grateful Hermione knew about his tenants; having an helping voice other then the three in his head was nice.

He waved tiredly at his clothes. "I never even bothered to change out of my quidditch robes."

Hermione, brushing of the language; she had gotten used to it, as it seemed Harry was starting to pick up Refero's language, giggled and stood from her work. "To tired for a little snuggling?"

Harry grinned. "Now, that I'll never be too tired for."

The brunette laughed, settling herself in her raven haired boyfriend's lap. "Is that so?"

"But of course, I am, after all, male." He replied, giving her a kiss.

That was how the two spent the next while, ignoring the strong winds that signaled a hard quidditch match tomorrow.

Having rushed through dressing in his spare quidditch robes, Harry waved off Wood's prep talk and hurried on to the field, immediately getting drenched as what Alicia had early called a 'little' rain during breakfast, he hurried to where Hermione stood waiting.

"Good luck." Hermione wished, giving him a quick kiss after he had used his Nimbus to float up to her.

"Like I need it, but thanks any way." He replied, with a very Refero smirk, diving back to the ground with a sharp dive and roll, causing cheers from the Gryffindor side of the field.

After Wood, who had arrived with the rest of the team, gave Harry a quick but stern reprimand, he headed off to the center of the field to shake hands with Cedric.

"Congrats, Harry-""-it takes some serious guts to blow-""-over Wood's-""-prep talks like that." The Twins laughed, both clapping the younger boy on the back.

Grinning wryly, Harry moved to take position with the rest of the team.

Within ten minutes of Hooch's sheer whistle; Harry was wetter then any other time in his life, couldn't see through his water covered goggles, had ran into two players, and was twice almost de-broomed by a Bludger; so he had felt justified to sigh in relief that, after the first flash of lightning, Hooch blew her whistle an hour into it.

"I called for a time out." Wood explained when Harry landed under the cover.

"What's the score?"

"We're fifty points up, but we'll be playing into the night at this rate."

"Harry!"

The aforementioned boy blinked, turning to see Hermione running up to them under an umbrella. "Hey, 'Mione."

"I've had an idea, everyone, hand me your goggles." She commanded, pulling out her wand.

Looking at each other with a shrug, they did as told. "_Impervius_." She said, pointing her wand at each set and saying the spell each time. "There, they'll repel water now."

Wood looked like he could've kissed her, Harry actually did. "You're a genius, 'Mione." He said as he pulled away.

The whole team yelled the same as she scurried off the field. "All right, team!" Wood said. "Let's go."

Ten minutes later, Harry found himself neck in neck with Cedric as they raced for the Snitch, a sudden chill began to spread, and it was as if he had gone deaf.

'_**Don't look down, Harry.**_' Refero's voice broke through the forced silence. '_**You know what's down there already, so why look?**_' The tone was as mocking as ever as he asked the question. '_**Be single minded, obsess over the victory; catch the Snitch, anything else is second priority at the moment.**_'

Harry could almost see his mentors face, eyes lighting with a fanatically insane light and grin splitting his face as they always did when he taught Harry something about fighting. Fighting was the only thing the spirit had always had, Refero's first and last instinct; and apparently the need to never lose a fight had rubbed off on Harry.

'_And this is a fight, not with swords or magic, but broom skills; and I will win!_'

With this thought Harry did as his teacher said, and kept his emerald eyes locked ahead on the small ball of winged gold, ignoring the movement down on the field. Reaching his arm forward, his finger tips scrapped against the Snitch.

"_Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"_

"_Stand aside, silly girl... stand aside, now..."_

"_Not Harry, please no, take me instead--"_

'_**It's a memory, Harry, ignore it.**_' Refero commanded.

'_But she needs help..._'

'_**The woman you are hearing is already dead, Harry, ignore it.**_'

Forcing himself to do as Refero said, Harry wrapped his fingers around the Snitch even as a white fog encompassed his consciousness.

* * *

Harry groaned as he opened his eyes, hearing voices around him. 

"Lucky the ground was so soft..."

"I'd like to argue that one..." Harry stated wryly, sitting up in bed. '_The Hospital Wing, again?_'

"I'm sure you would." Fred (or was it George?) said, grinning.

"Harry, you're awake!" The rest of the team cried, noticing the exchange.

"Yeah," He agreed, in a tone saying he would most likely rather still be asleep. "Ain't it great?"

"Oh, just let me in, please?"

Harry's attention snapped to the door, where Hermione could be heard arguing with Pomfrey to let her in.

George (or was it Fred?) laughed. "Nobody but the team is allowed in without Mr. Potter's permission." He said, imitating the nurse's voice.

Chuckling, Harry spoke. "You can let 'Mione in, Madame Pomfrey!"

Harry could have sworn she had some how learned Shunpo by how fast Hermione flew in to his arms.

"Oh, Harry, I was so worried..." She sobbed into his chest, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

Harry laughed, patting the girl comfortingly. "It'll take more then a simply 100 foot drop to kill me."

Hermione giggled into her boyfriend's damp shirt. "You're just lucky Dumbledore was there."

Grinning, Harry pointedly ignored that part. "How'd the game go?" He asked the room in general.

"We won," Oliver said, grinning broadly.

Satisfied that he had managed to catch the snitch before he had fainted Harry relaxed in his girlfriends arms.

Recognizing the private moment, the team started to file out of the hospital wing but froze at Harry's next question.

"Who's got my broom?"

Hermione nodded sadly to the team, who nodded sadly back and left. "Well, um..." She began nervously, reaching Harry's bed. "It got blown away by the wind..." Pulling a bag out from under the bed, she reached into it with her free hand, pulling out a piece of wood Harry instantly recognized. "It got blown into the Whomping Willow..." She trailed off, knowing she needn't say more since Harry knew first hand what happened if you hit the Whomping willow... it hit back, and it hit hard.

Refero had sat Harry down in the boy's mindscape the night after he had gone to sleep; the Hollow taking his normal place in the vice-Headmaster's seat, Harry in the Headmaster's seat, and the two swords avatar's sat two of the house tables; Zangetsu at the head of the Slytherin while the still unnamed spirit lounged at Gryffindor table's own head.

"**Harry,**" Refero spoke. "**Have you figured it out yet?**"

The young boy had no problem figuring out what his teacher was talking about; the Dementors. "I..."

He took a nervous breath. "They... make me relive my mother's murder."

Refero nodded. "**That's right. I had thought, after that first time on the train, that that scream sounded familiar; I heard and watched the whole thing take place while I was shifting through your memories.**" If Dumbledore had been here, he would have scolded the Hollow for being so calloused. "**Like I told you already, Harry, she's dead and there's no bringing her back.**" His tone spoke from experience.

Harry winched, he had barely even conjured the feeling, but he had already begun subconsciously feeling grateful to the Dementor's for bringing up the memory; as sad as it was this was the first time he had a memory of his mother's voice. Refero had already figured him out.

The swordsman sighed, looking forward and prompting his head up on one hand. "**Look, Harry, I understand that you want you're parents back; but the dead will stay dead.**" His tone broke no room for any of Harry's half assed arguments. "**Think of the woman you have, of the friends you have; the present and future you have.**" With that final order, Refero released the boy from his power which had kept him from true sleep and Harry feel asleep where he sat.

* * *

"Wait a moment, Harry," Lupin called after the bell had rung and everyone was leaving the classroom. "I'd like a word." 

Smiling apologetically to Hermione, who just mouthed see you at lunch gave him a quick peck on the cheek and milled out with the rest of the class. "Yes, professor? " He asked, turning around and walking to stand in front of Lupin's desk.

"I heard about the match," Lupin said, covering the Hinkypunk's cage. "Is there any way of repairing your broom?"

Harry sighed. "None, the tree smashed to pieces."

Lupin sighed, and spoke in an almost apologetic tone. "They planted that tree the same year i came to the school. The boy's would always play a game, seeing who could get closest to the trunk; until one almost lost last an eye and it we were panned from going near it. A broomstick wouldn't have stood a chance."

"I suppose you heard about the Dementor's too?" Harry asked with a bit of spite in his voice. "I know their nature, 'Mione and I researched them after I got out of the hospital." He added, seeing Lupin about to speak. "They mentioned a way to repel them, but they didn't name it or say where to find the spell; you repelled the Dementor on the train, maybe you know?"

Lupin sighed. "I am no expert on fighting Dementors."

"I asked if you knew how, not if you were a master at it."

Lupin locked eyes with the boy, and the beast inside him whimpered. The wolf couldn't speak any language that Lupin understood, nor did he the wolf; but they understood each other just fine when need be.

The wolf was more a mass of instinct then it was a sentient existence, and it conveyed it's thought's through emotions. The emotions that the wolf felt whenever the Potter boy was in the room was unease, and now that he was locking eyes with the boy he could've sworn the mass of violent instinct was whimpering; which immediately put him on guard, there was little that could make a werewolf's inner wolf whimper.

"Well... alright," The man agreed with a sigh. "Just give me a while to get it all together

* * *

"Hmm..." Harry sounded, pocketing the miraculous map the Twins had gifted to him. '_I can do as they suggest and head for Hogsmeade, and get scolded by 'Mione, or explore the castle... Let's go get scolded._' He thought with a mischievous smile. 

After he had snuck into the passage behind the witch statue, Harry grimaced as he looked ahead at the long tunnel.

'_**Heh, now seems like a good time to see how good you are at real world Shunpo.**_' Refero spoke in the boy's mind.

Harry nodded, closing his eyes and focusing on his reiatsu; his emerald colored variet of the energy starting to make a small aura around him. With a deep breath, he faded away in a blur of speed.

'_**Very good,**_' Refero said as Harry fell out of his eighth step at the end of the tunnel, breathing heavy from the excursion. '_**You're no prodigy at it, but your better then average. Soon you'll be able to go this far with a only two or three steps.**_'

Smiling at the praise, Harry pulled his green aura back into himself and took a minute before using his metamorphagus powers he changed his appearance a bit; he looked like his zanpakutō avatar, moved his scar to under his muggle shirt he'd been wearing. '_Odd, that I can't make it disappear, but I can move it to hide it..._'

Thinking of the oddities surrounding his curse scar, Harry headed up the ladder.

After dodging the employees and sneaking out of Honeyduke's basement, Harry started looking around for Hermione.

'_Hm, they've only been here for about ten minutes... where would 'Mione go first...?_' He chuckled after the answer came to him. '_Stupid question..._' Grinning, he headed for the bookstore.

He found her in the back of the store, pouring over a rather heavy looking tome. Looking over her shoulder, he chuckled at the contents. "Reading about sex, 'Mione? A bit young, aren't you?" He whispered in her ear, his surprise easily out weighed by his amusement. "I had no plans to push for that for quiet some time."

Refero was laughing his ass off, even the two avatar's who a the more reserved ones in the boy's mind chuckled.

Hermione blushed, hurriedly slamming the book close and dumping some of the other books on the table over the cover. "Harry-" she was cut off after she turned around to look at him. "Who are you?" She was suddenly much more nervous at the idea of not only getting caught, but getting caught by a complete stranger who was _entirely_to close for comfort.

Harry chuckled. "You were right the first time, 'Mione." He had forgotten that he couldn't change his voice. "It's me." Backing up, he changed back to normal and slid his scar into place.

"Harry!" Hermione squealed, jumping out of her chair and wrapping him in a strong hug.

The boy chuckled, wrapping his arms around her in return. "What, no reprisal about sneaking into Hogsmeade?"

"How about this?" Hermione asked with a hint of her rare mischief in her voice. "I won't pester you about sneaking in, and you forget about what I was reading?"

Harry pouted. "Some how I think I'm the one being jibbed here..."

Grinning slyly, Hermione traced a finger along Harry's jaw line. "Give it a few years, and maybe."

"I'll hold you to that."

"I'm sure you will."

"How did you get that anyway, I'm sure the clerk didn't help you?"

Hermione grinned, pointing at a silvery cloth stuffed into her bag that Harry recognized as his invisibility cloak, causing him to laugh

* * *

They stood alone in the common room, having returned early; Harry standing stock still with head bowed, giving off a heavy spirit pressure that would have crushed most people if they hazarded into the room, with Hermione holding him in a tight embrace from behind, somehow untouched by the invisible weight. 

Harry looked behind him, at the girl tightly holding onto him, and the black in his yokes receded. "Thanks for calming me down, 'Mione." He said, though his voice shook slightly.

Hermione smiled up at the slightly taller wizard. "I'm here for you, Harry James Potter, and don't you dare forget it." Her smile vanished, replaced by a stern glare. "You won't chase after him, will you?"

Harry shook his head, taking a calming breath and releasing the pressure. "It just doesn't add up, now that I've calmed down."

"What doesn't add up?"

He blinked. "Oh, I haven't told you?" Sitting down on a love seat, Harry explained about his run in with Black.

"You're right," Hermione said after he had finished, biting her lip. "Normally I'd say he's just insane after Azkaban, but Fudge said he was the most sane person he'd ever met in Azkaban."

Harry sighed, "Like I said, it all just doesn't add up; at all. But this shit about Pettigrew isn't the weirdest part of it; he had some inkling of what a Hollow is."

Hermione's chocolate brown eyes widened. "Refero's race?"

Harry nodded. "He knew what I meant, and mentioned dimensions, something odd is going on there."

They sat in silence for a while, Harry pondering over everything he had overheard in the Three Broomsticks, and Hermione pondered that as well one other thing. "Harry?"

"Yeah?" He asked, looking at his girlfriend curiously and momentarily pushing the weirdness to the back of his mind.

"Well, um..." She blushed under his attentive gaze. "MyparentsinvitedyouoverforChristmasbreak."

Harry raised an amused eyebrow at her. "What was that?"

Blushing a little deeper, she took a breath and repeated herself, this time slowly enough to be understood. "My parents invited you over for Christmas break, and the train leaves early tomorrow."

Now it was Harry's turn to blush. "Um," he was, understandably, nervous; that was almost two weeks with just Hermione and her family, which he didn't know very well.

'_**Just pray to god that her old man isn't as overprotective as Ishin was, or at least as as bad as Toshiro told me he had been; but hey, you aren't telling the man that his daughter is joining a harem of two other girls.**_' Refero laughed, remembering when the, not so much any more, miniature white haired captain had, after several bottles of sake had been consumed, about the Kurosaki Patriarch's reaction to his askance for Karin's hand in marriage. '_**Hell, you're not even marrying her, just courting her at the moment.**_'

Harry, though Refero's comment's didn't really help his nerves, nodded as he stood up. "Well, I gotta go back, now don't I?"

Hermione blinked, squealing as she jumped into his arms and gave him another hug when his words sunk in.

* * *

(A/N)Yo! well, next parts going to be the xmas-y chapter, so yeah it's going to be late; oh well, i was busy as Hell the last month. 

there's another poll open; should i give 'Mione any siblings? and I've already decided on her parent's personalities, so if you vote yes for siblings, please give a gender age and some kind of personality.

and yes, i gave Hermione a slight inner perv, but i feel justified in it since i myself know some girls that, when they got their bf at that age, actually researched sex out of nervousness.

Laters


	10. Meeting the Siblings

Last Time

* * *

Harry, though Refero's comments didn't really help his nerves, nodded as he stood up. "Well, I gotta go pack, now don't I?"

Hermione blinked, squealing as she jumped into his arms and gave him another hug when his words sunk in.

Now

* * *

"You two mind sharing? Every where else is full." Ginny asked, sliding the door to Harry and Hermione's apartment.

The raven haired boy opened one sleepy eye to look at her and her friend with a yawn, being careful not to wake Hermione who was cuddled up by his side. "Who's she?"

"Luna Lovegood," the blonde answered for herself. "Ravenclaw, 2nd year."

"Harry Potter," he nodded towards the open seats. "Sit wherever you want." He yawned.

"Hermione Potter," Hermione mumbled in her sleep, causing Harry to go red and Ginny to laugh.

"Granger, she means Hermione _Granger._"

"Sure." Ginny teased as she and her friend sat down.

"I'm just going to sleep now…" With that, Harry tucked his head against Hermione's and went back to sleep.

"Well, that's social of you." Ginny mumbled.

"Wake up, Potters." A light teasing voice said. "Or you'll be left on the train."

Harry grunted, snuggling closer to Hermione.

"Refero, you mind?" Ginny requested, knowing the spirit could here her even if Harry was asleep.

'_**Wake up, Harry.**_' Refero ordered, and Harry groaned as he opened his eyes.

"Yes, Ginny?" He asked, clearly annoyed at being woken up.

Ginny huffed, "Don't take that tone with me, and after I was kind enough to tell you the trains about to go _back_ to Hogwarts, with you two still on it."

Harry sighed, "Sorry, Gin, just had a nice nap and you woke me up from it, I'll wake 'Mione up."

Nodding, she smiled mischievously. "You do that, bye, Potters." She laughed as she walked away.

'_She's not going to let that drop…_' Harry thought with a sigh.

'_**And neither will I or your sword, its WAY to damn amusing!**_' Refero laughed, the aforementioned sword making a grunt of agreement in the back ground but not commenting.

It was, as Harry already knew, hard to completely block out a voice inside your head, but he managed it as he gently shook Hermione. "Time to wake up, 'Mione, we have to get off the train before it leaves."

Hermione's chocolate brown eyes blinked owlishly as she woke up with a yawn. "Hn?"

Harry smiled, "Time to go."

Still blinking away her nap, Hermione noticed that Harry couldn't get up without her getting up first, so she stood and offered Harry a hand. "Time to meet the parents, heh?"

Harry groaned as he accepted the hand, "Every boyfriend's greatest fear."

Hermione giggled. "I'd be more worried about my brother and sister if I were you."

Harry pouted, "No fair, I didn't know I'd have to deal siblings too." He complained playfully as he stretched.

Hermione shrugged, "They never came up."

Harry reached up into the rack of both their heads t get his rough sack, there was no point bringing his entire trunk. "Have any warnings for me?" He asked as the started walking down the deserted train.

She tapped her chin in thought. "Well, they're twins, and five years older then us…"

He shivered, 'twins' was always a troublesome thing.

"Renee, my sister, is a flirt and tease, but she's very committed to her boyfriend. Will, my brother, is a weapon fanatic, mainly swords but he knows his guns, and a skilled martial artist."

Harry groaned. "Damn, I'm screwed."

Hermione smiled teasingly at her boyfriend. "Well, like I said, Will is a weapons fanatic; you could most likely get some points in his book if you show him your zanpakutō and your skill with it. As for Renee… well, you're cute."

"Very reassuring, 'Mione…" Harry grumbled as they stepped off the train and onto the deserted platform.

"Hermione!"

The girl blinked, looking at the direction of the voice and squealed, and took off running. "Will!"

Harry followed behind nervously, and easily pushed down the surge of jealousy he felt when she jumped into the man's arms; if he hadn't been family… well, it looks like he's the territorial type.

When Will put his little sister down, Harry suddenly felt very out of place.

Will and Hermione, now that he took the time to notice, were both well dressed. Hermione was wearing nice blue jeans and a nice plain black shirt. Will was dressed in dress khaki shorts and a muscle shirt that showed of his well built and maintained body.

So, Harry was understandably a little embarrassed that he himself was dressed in the only muggle clothes he had; Dudley's old faded and over sized blue jeans held on his skinny, though Refero was working on that part, body with an equally over sized belt and a, also over sized, brown shirt.

Will smiled at the younger boy's nervousness, "Well, you must be Harry," He held out a hand.

Harry looked at the man a little more closely, Will was built similarly Refero, solid but lithe, and was also about the same height as the hollow, causing him to stand well above Harry's head even with the boy's recent growth spurt. His brown hair was highlighted in blond, giving it a rather rustic appearance, but his eyes were cat's-eye green.

Will smiled when he noticed where Harry's eyes were looking. "Recessive gene, haven't popped up in the family for a couple generations." He explained away his drastic eye difference from his little sister. "You have a rather nice shade of green, yourself."

Harry smiled, he always liked when people complimented the only physical trait he had inherited from his mother, and took the man's hand. "Yours are a rather… inhuman shade, and I mean that as a compliment."

Will grinned, "And I take it as one." He gave Harry's hand a firm shake. "Now that the pleasantries are over..." Before Harry could blink, the rustic haired man was behind him and holding him a foot off the ground in a strangle hold. "You hurt my little sister, and I break your neck." Will said in a deathly calm voice.

'_**Yeah,**_' Refero said absently as Harry nodded hurriedly. '_**That's how it went with Ichigo for Toshiro, only it involved a Bankai level fight before Ichigo managed to head lock him... Don't get me started on what happened when he had to tell Zaraki or even Shinji...**_'

"I have no intention of hurting 'Mione in any way, Sir." Harry said, ignoring the Hollow.

Will chuckled and released his hold, causing Harry to stumble as he fell a foot. "'Sir' is only for in classes or when I'm in my uniform, just call me Will any other time." He turned to his sister. "You let him call you 'Mione? Wow, you really do like this kid…" he teased

'_He's good,_' Harry thought as he watched the siblings bicker. '_There was no way I could have gotten out of that lock…_'

'_**Yeah,**_' Refero agreed. '_**He's definitely above your current level.**_'

"Where are mom and dad?" Harry blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts at the mention of the Granger parents.

Will grinned, "I'm driving."

Hermione mocked horror, "You, driving?"

Her brother pouted, "Sheesh, you make it sound like I'm a bad driver." He pointed at Harry. "You're front passenger, I don't want to look in my rear view and see you two making out."

Harry blushed, as did Hermione, but nodded.

Laughing, Will draped an arm over Harry's shoulders as the walked through the barrier into muggle King's Cross. "Don't blush easy, Renee's gonna make you blush a lot harder then I am, and I'm not even trying."

They walked in a comfortable silence through the parking lot before stopping next to a silver Mercedes. "Get in," Will said, pulling out his keys and unlocking the car.

Harry slid into the passenger seat after throwing his rough sack into the trunk, Hermione behind him, and Will started up the car. "So, tell me about yourself." Will started a conversation as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the empty road. "I mean, sure," he shot Hermione a teasing smirk in his rear view mirror. "Hermione's letters, mostly about you, are long and detailed, but I like getting my intel from the source, if possible."

Hermione blushed deeply when her brother mentioned her ongoing letters home about her crush.

After a full minute of silence, Will frowned. "Fine, I'll just do some… self investigation." He smirked as a semi, the only other car on the road, came into sight, heading the other direction. "Let's see how gutsy you are…"

Before Harry and Hermione had time to think on what Will said, the driver slid into the other lane, heading for a headlong collision with the semi. "With a little game of chicken…"

The semi honked loudly, but Will just sped up.

"Are you crazy?" Harry and Hermione yelled together.

"Yeah, ain't it great?" Will answered, laughing, as he swerved out of the way in the last second. The oldest teen looked at the younger male teen out of the corner of his eyes. "Well, I guess you pass."

'_**Hahahaha!**_' Refero laughed, '_**I like him!**_'

'_Of course you do,_' Harry thought back, rolling his eyes. '_You're both nuts._'

Refero just laughed louder.

* * *

By the end of the hour long drive, Harry had joined Will in enjoying games of 'chicken'.

"Great," Hermione huffed from her place in the back seat as they pulled off the main road. "You've added to his adrenaline rush activities, Will, quidditch was bad enough..."

Harry grinned, "Don't worry, 'Mione, I'll stick to flying, that's what I'm best at after all."

Will laughed, "That's what you're best at?" He criticized playfully, "haven't you gotten injured every year since you started? And I count catching a Snitch by almost swallowing it as an injury since that can't have been pleasant."

Harry just whistled and switched topics. "Nice house," he said, looking at the house they pulled into the drive way of.

It was a nice basic house, two stories and, thanks to being in a more rural area then the Dursley's, slightly larger then Harry's relatives with a nice flower bed separating the porch from lawn.

"I've got some good news for you, Harry." Will said, getting out of the car after killing the engine. "Renee's out with Arashi-nii (Storm-bro), her boyfriend, at the moment so you won't have to deal with her for a while, and the folks are out getting dinner."

"Yay," Harry replied in a faux monotone, also getting out. "I'd rather just get it done and over with, I hate waiting for something bad to happen." Harry went to Hermione's door and opened it for her.

"Very gentlemanly of you, Harry," Hermione giggled as she stepped out of the car.

"I try," he replied, going around and getting his stuff out of the trunk.

"I somehow doubt Renee'll stop teasing you anytime soon…" Will replied humorously as he went inside the house, rolling his eyes at the both of them.

Laughing, they followed him inside.

* * *

'_I was right when I thought the Grangers were well off,_' Harry thought as he looked around.

The first floor was the basic kitchen/living room/one bathroom arrangement. The second was where the bedrooms were, seven, and a single bathroom.

They also have a basement, in which he was right now. The room's floor was half covered in mats, the mat side walls having racks of weapons on them, and a weight station was in one of the un-matted corners, with flags of various countries lining those walls.

'_**Very well off, indeed, some of those blades are live**_(meaning they can cut, if you don't know).'

Harry just nodded, not questioning how Refero could tell if a sword was live or not when it was sheathed and on a rack on the other side of the room.

"You use a katana, right?"

Harry blinked, looking at Will who was standing in front of one of the many weapon racks. "Yes, but how did you know?" '_And where did 'Mione go?_'

'_She went to the bathroom, pay attention to what's going on around you._' Harry's zanpakuto deadpanned.

Will shrugged, picking one of the katanas off the rack and tossing it to Harry. "I guessed judging by the calluses on your hands."

'_That's almost as freaky good intuition as you being able to tell the swords were live, Refero._' Harry mentally grumbled as he caught the sword by its sheath, to use to having a sword flung at him to consider mentioning the 'safety' of such an act, and pulled out the blade an inch to look at the gleaming steel before sheathing it again.

'_**Told you he had live blades,**_' Refero jeered.

"Are you any good with it?" Will asked, pulling another one from the rack and slipping into his left hip belt loop.

Harry paused, getting Refero's opinion before speaking. "My teacher says I'm 'better then when I started, at least'."

Will chuckled, "Sounds like the Grand Master of my style…" He grinned. "Wanna have a quick spar?"

"Spar with _live_ swords?"

"It doesn't matter if the sword _can _cut you if you dodge or block, if you do it correctly anyway."

Now it was Harry's turn to chuckle, "You'd get along with Refero, one of my teachers, just fine." Walking over to stand next to Will, Harry racked the katana.

"I don't suppose you'd have a problem with me using my own sword…?"

The rustic blond shook his head, "Not at all." He raised an eyebrow. "But I didn't see a sword in your stuff, and aren't you to young to do magic outside of school?"

Harry just smiled mischievously as he recalled a meeting he had had with his headmaster a couple weeks after Halloween.

-Flash back-

Dumbledore applauded, even some of the portraits joined in, gently as Harry sheathed his sword and collapsed into one of his office's plush chairs. "An excellent demonstration, Mr. Potter," The normal clutter of the office had been cleared out so that Harry could show Dumbledore his skill, as the old man had been curious to see some of the Katas Refero had taught the boy.

"Thank you, sir." The raven haired boy replied tiredly, having done all thirteen of the katas he knew.

The headmaster raised an eyebrow as the sword in Harry's hand vanished. "Is that an attribute of the sword, or a personal trick of Refero?"

"Oh, this?" Harry asked, the sword rematerializing in hand. "It's an attribute of the sword himself."

"Your avatar is male, then?" Seeing the surprised look, Dumbledore chuckled. "Zangetsu-san gave me a brief summary of whom and what he is when he was here."

"Ah," Harry nodded, understanding. "Yes, it is male, though I'm yet to hear his name."

"Name?"

"It was a _real_ brief summary, heh?" Harry asked, "Yes; name. Every zanpakuto has an avatar, a physical and sentient existence. Learning ones name allows its master to _shikai_, initial release, which unlocks a whole different level of power, and shape, of the sword."

"Initial release? Meaning there's at least one more?"

Harry nodded, "_Bankai_, full release; its far more powerful then shikai. Neither can be achieved without knowing the swords name."

Dumbledore nodded, cataloging the information away. "And the disappearing?"

The boy shrugged. "The way that it was explained to me was this; a zanpakuto is part of your soul, and thus will always come to you."

"That explains the reappearing part."

"When it disappears, its simply returning to my soul, as a zanpakuto is merely a piece of my soul given the form of a katana." He made the sword vanish as he spoke.

"Can you materialize it away from your body?"

Harry shook his head, "No, at least not at my level."

"Hn," Albus pulled his wand from his robes and pointed it at Harry, and cast some spell, Harry knew since he felt the magic surround him, silently. "A simple magic detection spell, Harry; the same one the ministry uses in fact." He explained. "Now, could you please summon and resummon the sword?"

Harry shrugged, doing as he was asked.

"Hm…" Dumbledore stood and walked over to one of his many trunks, mumbling to himself as he rummaged through the contents. "Soul magic is undetectable…" He stood, apparently having found what he was looking for, and walked back to his seat.

"This, Harry, is a piece of amzonite; do you know its properties?" The headmaster asked, setting a dark purple jewel roughly the size of a large marble.

"You have such a large piece...?" Harry asked, in shock, staring at the perhaps the largest single piece of the rarest and most treasured jewel in the wizarding world. "Amzonite... it's highly valued for its rarity, its beauty, and its ability to absorb magic."

Dumbledore chuckled, "It is one of the Dumbledore family's oldest treasures."

'_With damn good reason, that things 3-4 times the size of most amzonite samples!_' Harry thought.

Dumbledore nodded approvingly, "Yes, it is." He rolled the perfect sphere under his pointer finger. "I'd like you to cast one of your 'kidou' on this piece."

Harry nodded, raising his right hand to point at the glittering purple jewel. "Kidou #4, White Lightning." he commanded softly, sending a small bolt of energy at the amzonite chunk; the emerald reiatsu dissipating harmlessly.

'_**I guess it would make sense that a wizard would be a natural at kidou.**_' Refero said, noting the lack of an incantation.

Dumbledore grinned, a satisfied look Harry knew well from the Twins; the look of a troublemaker who had just found a loophole in the rules. "It seems, Harry, that your reiatsu aligned abilities are classified as 'soul magic'; a branch of magic that can only be traced by tracer spells cast with soul magic; and the Ministry doesn't have any such tracers." He slipped the amzonite into his robes, pulling out his wand and dispelled the tracing spells he had cast on Harry.

Hearing this, Harry mirrored the older man's grin.

-End flashback-

"This certain type of magic can't be traced, so the Ministry is none the wiser." Harry answered Will, summoning his sword to his left hand.

Will whistled, "Sweet." Falling into a ready stance, he unsheathed his own katana partially.

Harry unsheathed his own sword, tossing away its scabbard; his style didn't include a sheath.

They stood in suspended animation for a minute, human emerald green eyes being stared down by cats-eye green eyes, before Will leapt at Harry so fast he blurred.

Harry just barely got his sword up to block the attack in time. '_Damn, he's fast,_' Harry thought, grinning slightly as he pushed Will away; beginning his attack series. A down slash followed by a straight thrust finished with a upper cut.

Will dodged each attack gracefully, purposefully letting the blade always be an inch from him during all of the attacks, and slipped his own katana under Harry's after the upper cut to send the boy off balance.

Now it was Harry's turn to narrowly dodge the sharp blade of his spar opponent.

It went on like that for awhile, back and forth, neither noticing their small audience.

Hermione watched quietly from the sidelines as the two danced around each other, confident in their ability to not get hurt.

"Well, you did catch yourself a cute one, didn't you, sis?"

Hermione blinked, turning to look at her idol, "Back from your date already, Renee?"

Hermione's older sister smiled down at her. "Arashi (Storm) and I just _had_ to be here to see you on your first day back, sis."

'_Still as gorgeous as normal,_' Hermione noted as she looked at her older sister.

Renee was Hermione's goal; she was daring, intelligent and smart. She had perfect hourglass figure, working out just enough to stay fit so there wasn't a drop of fat, her straight brown hair had natural light red highlights, her eyes a slightly more human shade of green then her twins. Like her brother, she was dressed in nice but simple clothes; a tight blue tank top and a black thigh length skirt, with fishnet stockings and undershirt. She looked great, and kept a solid 3.0 gpa (1).

"We just had to meet this boy your so infatuated with, after all." Renee looked to the spar. "Looks like he'll get along with Will just fine; and Arashi too for that matter."

Hemione blinked as she looked around. "Where is Arashi-nii (Storm-bro) anyway?" The man knew the Granger parents had no problem with him being at their house, even if they were gone at the time, so she doubted he had left without saying hi.

Renee chuckled at her sister, pointing at the spar. "He's right there, sis."

Finally turning her attention back to Harry and Will, Hermione saw Arashi walking towards the play fight; a wooden bo-staff in hand. "So he is…"

Harry was focused completely on Will, so he just barely managed to dodge a mahogany staff.

"So, you're Harry Potter, heh?" The stranger, to Harry, asked.

For the first time since the spar started, Harry took his eyes off Will, and looked at the new guy.

"Arashi-nii…" Will muttered in the back ground, giving Harry a name for the new face.

Arashi, a man of average height, had golden one and a half inch spiked hair, wore dark sunglasses, leather biker pants and a loose wife beater.

But what really stuck out to Harry was that the man wasn't built like any of the other fighters Harry had met so far, he was more muscular.

'_**He's not a swordsman,**_' Refero stated. "'_**Rather, he's an open hand fighter, but his weapon of choice is bo-staff… he's most likely also proficient with other weapons.**_'

Harry shook his head; how Refero could tell so much about a person from a single glance would always be beyond him.

'_**No it won't,**_' The Hollow disagreed. '_**It's called experience, and instinct; you'll be able to tell so much about someone yourself, one day.**_'

Will's voice broke Harry away from Refero, "On three."

The-Boy-Who-Lived didn't need to ask what the older boy meant. "Three!" They said together, skipping one and two, and charged at Arashi together.

* * *

'_What the hell just happened?_' Harry thought as he looked up at the ceiling; spread eagle on his back with his sword lying a few feet away from him; Will was in the same predicament only a few yards off.

Arashi stood above them both, staff carelessly hanging off one shoulder, with sharp toothed grin. "You both need more practice."

'_**I believe the term is 'you just got owned'.**_' Refero stated blandly.

Harry groaned, "Shut up, Refero." He said, not realizing he was speaking out loud.

'_You were defeated easily._' The nameless zanpakuto deadpanned.

"Since when do you side with him?" Harry asked with another groan.

'_When we agree,_' the sword's deadpan tone just made Harry groan more.

* * *

(A/N)Yo! this is the first half of the winter break chapter, but i wasn't going to post anything for a LONG time if i posted the whole thing(the other half is likely another 4k words...)and my computer privileges are going to revoked for awhile...(damn grades)so i decided to cut of this chapter half way and post it.

(1)-I don't know how grades in muggle schools work over there, so im using the American grading system…

Laters

ps-NatSD's next chap is half way done, but like I said; my computers getting taken away for awhile so…

pps-all bow to Kenpachi, king of the kill. he will KILL Noitora like the pin sexist bitch he is!


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